mike-bender – Justice for Rhonda and Donnie

March 19, 2026 Update

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The information just keeps coming.

Just as we finished having our attorney vet The Forsaken and prepared to send it to the publisher, an unexpected discovery changed everything.

A couple weeks ago, a woman who lives just a few miles from Simi Valley was browsing at a Goodwill “bins” warehouse when she noticed a plastic tub that other shoppers ignored, filled with intriguing paperwork and envelopes.

Curious and naturally drawn to historical items, she took a closer look and realized these were not ordinary papers. She saw old handwritten reports instead of computer-generated forms, envelopes with photos, and, after just a couple of images, recognized that she was looking at crime scene photographs. Understanding the gravity of what she had stumbled upon, she stopped digging, trying to touch as little as possible while still confirming what was there.

One name appeared over and over on the documents: RKD’s. When she searched that name, she discovered it was connected to an open murder investigation.

Instead of walking away, she chose to act. She contacted the local police department, explained what she had found, and an officer came to collect the bin. It was later picked up by the Simi Valley Police Department and is assumed to be evidence in a case that should never have been reopened in the first place.

In her research she came across an October 2025 article about The Forsaken, mentioning possible missing and/or destroyed evidence in Rhonda and Donnie’s nearly fifty-year-old case. Having lost her own brother under mysterious circumstances in Washington State, she understood deeply what it meant for a family to live without answers.

Then she went one step further: she searched for Rhonda and Donnie’s family, found me on social media, and reached out to share what had happened.

Her intuition, restraint, and compassion are amazing. She protected the integrity of what she found, made sure law enforcement took custody, and still thought about the surviving family’s need to know. All I can say is that this woman’s courage, insight, and empathy are a blessing, and I am profoundly grateful she chose to do the right thing instead of turning away.

So where does that leave the publication timeframe? Because of this discovery, we are adding a new chapter and making a few final, complex edits recommended by our attorney. Our target is more realistically a summer 2026 release.

When this journey began, none of us imagined the twists and turns it would take, but here we are—doing everything possible to honor Rhonda and Donnie and to tell their story as carefully, truthfully, and close to perfectly as we can, even if it takes longer than we first planned.

Update April 4, 2026: The Simi Valley Acorn published a story about this. See here:
The Murder Case That Refuses To Stay Buried

~Click here to view Acronyms List~

A Deleted Comment, Missing Facts, and Why I Still Speak for Rhonda and Donnie

I recently had a very interesting exchange with a supporter on RDK’s facebook page with regards to Rhonda and Donnie.

On June 24, 2026, I posted a graphic about the discrepancies in the DNA results from 2017 on my personal Facebook page as well as The Forsaken Facebook page.

Here is the graphic I posted:

Three days later a post appeared in my feed from a page run by supporters of RDK. I have followed this page for years but have never replied to any posts, and certainly have never seen anything from their page appear in my feed. Their post reminded their readers/followers about the DNA findings that contributed to his pardon and began with: “Recently, we have seen conversations on social media regarding [RDK], his freedom, and DNA.”

I thought it was more than a coincidence that this appeared three days after my post, especially since that page typically only shares holiday greetings and light updates.

I felt it was appropriate to add factual information that wasn’t included — specifically that the 2016 review relied on two tiny slides, not the hundreds of pieces of evidence the jury saw in 1979. Shortly after I replied, my comment was deleted.

When I messaged the administrator and asked why my post was deleted, they first said it was an accident. Later, the explanation shifted: my factual statements were labeled “opinions,” and my mention of the book was described as “advertising.”

It appeared to me the message was clear: anything that challenges what they want their readers to believe isn’t allowed.

I’m sharing this not out of spite, but because readers — wherever they stand — deserve to see the other side of the story. That page presents only its preferred version of events, and key facts are dismissed whenever they don’t align with it. Why is that?

Some of you reading this may feel I’m out of line for posting this, but I’ve said many times that I will not be quiet when it comes to defending my sister and nephew.

I am sharing the entire correspondence below — their post on RDK’s Facebook page, my (now deleted) reply, and all the private messages that followed.

Here is the post that appeared on RDK’s Facebook page (the blackouts are all RDK’s name):

This is the link to the article the post is referring to from 2018: Article: Payment for freedom lost

This is my reply to this post before it was deleted:

The following are the private message exchange between the “volunteer editor” and me (my responses are in the blue bubbles):

I did get a little heated in my first comment by calling them a coward, but I did later apologize for it since they reminded me about the name-calling.

The two blackouts in this are “RDK” and “XCV”.

This exchange reminded me why telling the full story still matters. When pieces of the truth are removed, minimized, or dismissed, the public is left with only a fraction of what really happened. I will continue to speak up for Rhonda and Donnie, and I will continue to share the parts of this case that others choose not to. Their story deserves to be told — fully, honestly, and without fear of who may disagree.

As a quick update on The Forsaken: the manuscript is currently with the publisher, and everything is moving forward smoothly. We’re anticipating most likely a late‑summer 2026 release, but stay tuned for a final date.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the support so many of you have shown throughout this journey. As soon as I have the official release date, I’ll share the news — and I can’t wait for you to finally read the full story.