It was a dark July night in the village of Theodosia, Missouri, in 2017. Some residents in the small village noticed large flames emanating from a farm along County Road 905. It was a common occurrence to see bush-fires on the outskirts of the village, so they thought nothing of it. A couple of days later, however, police converged at the farm after receiving a report of a missing teenager.
Audio Sources
“Rebecca Ruud Sentenced for Abandoning 16-Year-Old Daughter’s Corpse”
“Prosecutor Says Rebecca Ruud Burned Her 16-Year-Old Daughter Alive”
“Rebecca Ruud’s Attorney Presents Her Opening Statement Defending the Accused Murderer”
“Accused Murderer Says Her Daughter Killed Herself”
Sources:
The Ozark County Times, 21 July, 2017 – “Theodosia Teen Still Missing”
The Ozark County Times, 2 August, 2017 – “Officers Work ‘Endlessly’ But Haven’t Found Missing Theodosia Teenager”
ABC – 33 KSPR, 9 August, 2017 – “Burned Remains May Be Missing Teenager in Ozark County”
Ozark County Times, 9 August, 2017 – “Officers Find Burned Human Remains”
ABC – 33 KSPR, 10 August, 2017 – “Ozark County Detectives Say mom, New Husband Are Suspects for Teen’s Disappearance”
Star Tribune, 10 August, 2017 – “Minnesota Parents Fear Charred Remains in Missouri are Missing Teen Daughter”
The Ozark County Times, 16 August, 2017 – “Knowing Savannah”
The Ozark County Times, 17 August, 2017 – “Working Toward Answers in the Case of Savannah”
The Associated Press News Service, 22 August, 2017 – “Minnesota Mom of Slain Girl Says Family is Grieving”
Associated Press, 22 August, 2017 – “Biological Mom Charged with Murder in Missouri Teen’s Death”
Crow River News, 22 August, 2017 – “STMA Deeply Saddened By News of Former Student’s Death”
Star Tribune, 22 August, 2017 – “Mother Charged with Murder of Missing Minn. Teen”
The Denver Post, 24 August, 2017 – “A Teen Reunited with her Birth Mother”
West Plains Daily Quill, 24 August, 2017 – “Memorial Service and Vigil Sept. 9 for Savannah Leckie”
CBS – 33 KSPR, 28 August, 2017 – “Ozark County Mother Faces a Judge in Death of Daughter”
The Ozark County Times, 31 August, 2017 – “Documents Record Abuse”
The Ozark County Times, 13 September, 2017 – “Fellow Firefighters Somber During Sad Last Call”
ABC – 33 KSPR, 20 September, 2017 – “Couple Indicted in Death of Ozark County Teenager”
Associated Press, 21 September, 2017 – “Missouri Couple Indicted in Death of Woman’s Teen Daughter”
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1 October, 2017 – “Columbia Heights”
The Ozark County Times, 2 November, 2017 – “Thanks to Local Company for Savannah Memorial”
The Ozark County Times, 2 March, 2018 – “Savannah Leckie Memorial Scholarship to be Awarded”
ABC – 33 KSPR, 6 July, 2018 – “State Releases Man Charged in Death of Savannah Leckie”
The Ozark County Times, 12 July, 2018 – “Accused of Murder, Robert Peat’s Released”
The Ozark County Times, 19 July, 2018 – “Recent Search Warrant”
The Ozark County Times, 5 August, 2020 – “Savannah Leckie Murder”
NBC – 3 KYTV, 28 June, 2022 – “An Ozark County Mother, Charged with Murder”
The Daily Beast, 28 June, 2022 – “Mom Drugged, Beat, and Burned Teen Daughter”
CBS – 4 KMOV, 29 June, 2022 – “Disturbing Details Revealed”
NBC – 3 KYTV, 29 June, 2022 – “Investigators Provide Details of How Missing Ozark County Teen’s Body Was Found in Burn Pile”
The Ozark County Times, 30 June, 2022 – “Ruud Murder Trial Unfolds”
Associated Press, 29 July, 2022 – “Missouri Woman Acquitted of Murder”
CBS – 3 KYTV, 29 July, 2022 – “Judge Delivers Verdict in Death of Ozark County Teenager”
