Donna’s relationship with Kevin was violent from the start. Family members witnessed Kevin’s abuse, including hitting, choking, and even an attempted drowning. Despite this, they married and moved to Arizona. The abuse continued, with Donna reporting rape and death threats.

On the day she disappeared, Donna went to a barbecue. She planned to return home, pack, and then go back to the barbecue with her sons before heading to Washington. She never showed up.

Kevin claimed Donna left willingly, taking all her belongings and their money. However, she left behind her children and most of her possessions. Her car was suspiciously clean, and Kevin pawned her jewelry after her disappearance. He also failed a lie detector test. The police suspected foul play and believed the car may have been used to dispose of Donna’s body, but the initial charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Years later, in 2017, Kevin was charged with second-degree murder. However, the case was dismissed because the defense argued the police didn’t explore other possibilities and the evidence wasn’t strong enough for a conviction. While Kevin was acquitted, the circumstances strongly suggest that Donna’s disappearance was not a simple runaway case.