Jaded Evidence · Interactive investigation
Annika Sandoval-Leonard: Rachel Leonard Case and Dismissal
Montezuma County, Colorado
Current legal status: Murder case dismissed without prejudice September 22, 2026; not an active trial.
Next event: Verify October 15 sealing outcome; monitor any refiling
Explore the people, chronology, evidence and court decisions below. Allegations, testimony, attorney positions and judicial conclusions are labeled separately.
02 | Victim background
Annika Sandoval-Leonard was five when she died in March 2022. The reviewed reporting describes an undetermined medical cause of death. That classification must not be converted into a proven murder mechanism.
03 | People and documented roles
Rachel Leonard, Annika’s mother, was the defendant in the dismissed murder case. District Attorney Jeremy Reed moved to dismiss. Judge Todd Plewe granted dismissal, according to KSJD’s report of the order.
View More — Defendant profile and legal posture
Murder case dismissed without prejudice September 22, 2026; not an active trial.
A lawyer’s role, a charging decision and a judicial ruling are different kinds of information. The case file identifies only roles supported by the sources below.
04 | Interactive event-by-event timeline
Select an event to expand its evidence and limits. Future hearings and trial settings are identified as future events.
View More — March 29, 2022 — Child’s death investigated
Reporting describes the response to a 911 call and the child’s death.
Time: Exact time is not established in the reviewed sources.
Evidence / source: KSJD — October 2 dismissal-order and sealing report
Disputed information / limits: The medical cause was reported as undetermined.
View More — September 2026 — Prosecution seeks dismissal
The District Attorney cited constitutional problems with handling phone evidence.
Time: Exact time is not established in the reviewed sources.
Evidence / source: Durango Herald — prosecution dismissal request
Disputed information / limits: A motion to dismiss must be distinguished from a granted dismissal.
View More — September 22, 2026 — Dismissal granted
KSJD reports that Judge Plewe dismissed the case without prejudice.
Time: Exact time is not established in the reviewed sources.
Evidence / source: KSJD — October 2 dismissal-order and sealing report
Disputed information / limits: Without prejudice is not an acquittal and does not itself establish future refiling.
View More — October 15, 2026 — Historical sealing setting
The reported order set a hearing concerning sealing.
Time: Exact time is not established in the reviewed sources.
Evidence / source: KSJD — October 2 dismissal-order and sealing report
Disputed information / limits: The outcome of that setting has not been independently verified here.
05 | Investigation and evidence
Open an evidence card to see what the record supports and what still needs verification.
View More — Medical uncertainty
An undetermined cause of death leaves questions for medical evidence; it is not proof of a particular intentional act.
View More — Phone evidence and constitutional litigation
The handling of the phone was central to the dismissal decision. A search query alone should not be treated as proof of who performed an act or why.
View More — Dismissal and sealing records
The dismissal order and any sealing decision control present status. A prior October trial date is not current.
06 | Prosecution and defense
View More — Prosecution position
The prosecution had pursued first-degree murder but later concluded that legal problems surrounding phone evidence prevented proceeding consistently with its obligations. The decision to dismiss is distinct from a jury’s determination of the facts.
View More — Defense position
Leonard’s attorneys challenged the seizure and prolonged retention of her phone. The reviewed reports do not establish that every defense allegation was judicially accepted; they do establish the prosecution’s dismissal request and the court’s resulting order.
07 | Trial testimony and courtroom developments
This case is placed in the dismissed section of the directory. The October sealing setting is not a murder trial or a new criminal charge.
View More — Read the proceeding in context
A reported question, an attorney’s argument, an admitted exhibit and a court’s finding are not interchangeable. Where a full transcript, exhibit or signed order has not been obtained, the gap is identified rather than filled with an inferred result.
08 | Verdicts, sentencing and appeals
Dismissed without prejudice on September 22, 2026, as reported from the order. No jury verdict or sentence is established.
View More — Outcome and source limits
Verify October 15 sealing outcome; monitor any refiling
Future settings can change. The sources identify whether this entry is based on a filed record, an official announcement or attributed court reporting. A source check does not establish that no later filing exists.
09 | Unresolved questions
- Obtain the dismissal order if publicly available.
- Confirm the October sealing outcome and any limits on public access.
- Monitor for an actual refiling rather than implying one will occur.
10 | Court records and source documents
View More — Verification and editorial notes
This case file was reconciled with Jaded Evidence’s master trial records and the public sources listed above. The source descriptions preserve the difference between a primary court document, an official party announcement and reporting. A prosecution release states the prosecution’s account; it is not a substitute for a verdict.
The page links to available originals and clearly identified reporting. Missing transcripts, exhibits, expert reports or signed orders are listed as research gaps. No quotation, timestamp, forensic result or ruling is supplied from inference.