It’s been just over three weeks since the murder trial of an Ozark County woman accused of killing her daughter was handed over to Judge Calvin Holden in Springfield. Judge Holden was expected to announce his verdict on Rebecca Ruud July 15, but a week later, no ruling has been announced by the Greene County Circuit Court.
Ruud is charged with first- and second-degree murder, abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in a felony in connection with the 2017 death of 16-year-old Savannah Leckie. The trial portion ended July 30 with closing arguments by Missouri Assistant Attorney General Anthony Brown and Ruud’s public defender, Lauren Welborn.
During his closing argument, Brown repeated his claim that Leckie was still alive as she was being burned, and Ruud drugged her prior to setting her on fire. Brown also told Judge Holden the three inmates who testified against Ruud were credible sources.
Welborn said in her closing argument, “The state can absolutely prove that (Rebecca) burned Savannah’s body, but that is all they can prove. They presented no credible evidence of anything related to a murder.”
Welborn also repeated the defense’s claim that Leckie committed suicide, and documents prove she struggled mentally. In addition, she disagreed with Brown’s claim that the inmates were credible witnesses.
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