Dede Evavold has repeatedly violated the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County to protect the Rucki family from her continued harassment and threatening behavior.

Less than two weeks ago, a court in Dakota County ruled “an immediate and present danger of harassment” by Evavold existed to warrant the granting of an HRO requested by David Rucki and his daughter, Samantha Rucki, against Evavold.

Evavold was convicted last September of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding.

The HRO requested by David Rucki and Samantha Rucki also protected Gianna Rucki and two other minor Rucki children from being harassed by Evavold. According to court documents, the Harassment Restraining Order against Evavold is in effect until July 27, 2019.

Since the HRO was served on Evavold on July 31, 2017 at her home in St. Cloud, Evavold has ignored the court order by harassing and threatening the Rucki family in her use of social media.

David Rucki calls Evavold “dangerous” and demands she face consequences for violating HRO

David Rucki released a statement today about Evavold violating the HRO, saying Evavold “has proven herself a danger to my family and society as a whole”:

“Dede Evavold is a criminal – a six-time convicted felon. My family and I are tired of being threatened and harassed by her continued refusal to follow the law.

Dede has proven time and again that she is a dangerous person. She lied to authorities when the health and safety of my children were at stake. She engaged in a physical altercation with police when they searched her home for information she was unwilling to provide. Her own family believes she has an untreated mental health condition.

My family and I need there to be accountability in this case. We need safety and privacy so we can continue to heal from the events of the past. Dede needs to face consequences for her actions.

As the ring leader in orchestrating the disappearance of my daughters for 944 days, Dede Evavold has proven herself a danger to my family and society as a whole. Accountability and oversight are more than necessary at this point, they are critical.”

Rucki declined to comment on any of his conversations with law enforcement about Evavold’s continued harassment.

Court orders there is an “immediate and present danger of harassment to justify temporary relief”

In the order on July 28, 2017 granting the HRO against Evavold, the court found “there is an immediate and present danger of harassment to justify temporary relief.” The court further found that there are “reasonable  grounds to believe that [Evavold] has harassed [David Rucki and Samantha Rucki] (or minor children included in the petition)…”

Specifically, the court found that Evavold “made threats” to David Rucki and Samantha Rucki, and that “the harassment has had or is intended to have a substantial adverse effect on [David Rucki and Samantha Rucki’s] safety, security, or privacy.

Evavold is prohibited from having any “direct or indirect contact” with David Rucki, Samantha and Gianna Rucki, and two other minor Rucki children. Evavold is also prohibited from naming “any member of the Rucki family in any blog posting, social media posting, or internet posting.”

Evavold sent threatening letter from jail; family claims she has an “undiagnosed mental illness”

While in jail, Evavold sent a letter to court staff which containing numerous threats targeted at public officials in Dakota County.

In a handwritten letter dated October 17, 2016, Evavold wrote “that from jail, I can use the truth” to “completely destroy [the] blackened reputation” of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, and elected officials from Dakota County.

Evavold lives in St. Cloud with her husband Darin and their two children. Evavold’s husband was in the courtroom for her sentencing, as were other members of Evavold’s family.

Her family did not attend the criminal trial.

As noted in David Rucki’s statement, Evavold’s sister wrote a letter to the court claiming that Evavold has an “undiagnosed mental illness.”

Evavold connected to Michelle MacDonald

Evavold previously served as Michelle MacDonald’s campaign manager for MacDonald’s campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014. MacDonald ran for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2016 against Justice Natalie Hudson and Evavold was listed as the chair of MacDonald’s campaign until May 2016.

According to MacDonald’s most recent campaign finance report, MacDonald owes Evavold $2,635.04 for public relations and mileage expenses.

MacDonald serves as Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney and was labeled as a “person of interest” in 2015 by the Lakeville Police Department in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. MacDonald was labeled in April 2015 as a “person of interest” by the Lakeville Police Department in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

MacDonald refused to cooperate with the Lakeville Police Department’s investigation into her possible involvement in the disappearance of the sisters  – even after public statements from her that she would cooperate in the investigation.

Her criminal defense attorney, Stephen Grigsby, said in 2015 that he would advise MacDonald to not speak with the Lakeville Police Department.

MacDonald attended portions of Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal trial and her sentencing hearing, but MacDonald did not attend any of Evavold’s trial.

Click here to read more about Evavold, and check back to Missing in Minnesota for additional updates.