Ada Jo Vangrinsven, a 32-year-old White woman, was last seen on August 5, 2021, at the Isanti VFW, where she worked. She was off duty that evening and had been drinking with Richard Melvin Peterson II, the vice commander of the VFW. Concerned about her level of intoxication, a patron offered to drive her home, but Peterson insisted he would take her. Instead of taking her home, Peterson drove Vangrinsven to another establishment, the Dugout Bar and Grill in Bethel. Surveillance footage from the VFW showed the two appearing affectionate with each other, which concerned some observers as Peterson was married.
Vangrinsven was reported missing after she failed to show up for her shift at the VFW the following day, August 6. Her car was found still parked at the VFW. Her disappearance prompted extensive searches by law enforcement and community volunteers. Five days later, on August 10, investigators discovered her body buried on a rural property in Athens Township belonging to Peterson. The recovery of her body required the use of a backhoe. An autopsy later determined that Vangrinsven had died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.
The investigation quickly focused on Richard Peterson. His wife informed authorities that she had seen him using a tractor to dig holes on their property on the morning of August 6. Cell phone records also placed both Peterson and Vangrinsven on his property on the night she disappeared. Following the discovery of Vangrinsven's body, Peterson was admitted to a mental health facility. Upon his release, he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
In February 2023, Richard Melvin Peterson II entered an Alford plea to the charge of second-degree intentional murder. This type of plea allowed him to maintain his innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to secure a conviction. In April 2023, a judge sentenced Peterson to nearly 24 years in prison for the murder of Amanda Jo Vangrinsven. During the sentencing, the judge noted the heinous nature of the crime and that Peterson had violated the trust placed in him to ensure Vangrinsven arrived home safely.
