Rural Justice Report

Tracking Local Crime and Court Cases

This is a Crime Page dedicated to keeping our community informed about court cases and legal matters occurring in Cedar County and the surrounding areas. As residents of rural America, it is essential to stay aware of the issues affecting our neighborhoods. Knowledge fosters safety and community engagement.

Through this platform, we aim to shed light on local legal proceedings and empower our readers to stay informed. Please remember that all individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The El Dorado Springs Sun strives to present accurate information; however, we cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions in our reporting.

Stay updated on local cases by subscribing to The El Dorado Springs Sun. Please send all corrections or typos to sunpub@centurylink.net, including the article information in the subject line.

El Dorado Springs man jailed again weeks after release; judge tightens bond conditions in new harassment case

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

Just weeks after The El Dorado Springs Sun reported on his previous arrest and release in a dog-bite case, Travis Joe Matzke, 42, of El Dorado Springs, is once again in custody at the Cedar County Jail — this time on charges of Harassment in the First Degree and Trespass in the First Degree.

According to court and jail records, Matzke was arrested Oct. 22, 2025, by the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office and booked the following morning. The new charges were filed Oct. 21 by Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither, who also filed the probable cause statement and complaint.

Associate Circuit Judge Dawson issued a warrant setting bond at $25,000, cash-only, with the special condition that Matzke have no contact with the victim and that a GPS monitor be installed prior to any release.

Records show that just days earlier — on Oct. 15 — Judge Dawson amended the conditions of Matzke’s earlier release in his ongoing Owner/Possessor’s Dog Bites Person/Domestic Animal (2nd or Subsequent Bite) case. The order barred him from contacting his mother or being at her residence and required law enforcement to be present when he retrieved his belongings that afternoon.

During that same week, Matzke appeared before Judge Dawson via Webex for arraignment, entered a plea of not guilty, and — with the prosecutor’s agreement — was released on his own recognizance pending a Nov. 19 case-management conference.

Court records indicate multiple entries for Matzke across Cedar County this year, including matters involving alleged harassment, property damage, and peace-disturbance violations.

As of press time, the individual remained in custody at the Cedar County Jail.

Greenfield woman jailed on warrant for failing to register as a sex offender

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

Rebecca Sue Russell, 44, of Springfield, was booked into the Cedar County Jail at 5:52 p.m. on Oct. 21 after being taken into custody by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office on a Dade County warrant.

Court records show Russell is charged with failure to register as a sex offender pursuant to 589.400-425, a felony. The warrant was originally issued on July 29, 2024, following an investigation by the Dade County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a probable-cause statement filed by Deputy R. Robison, Russell registered on July 2, 2024, as a sex offender at an address on Route H in Greenfield. However, GPS monitoring and later statements from probation authorities indicated that she was actually living at a residence on South Madison Street in Greenfield. Investigators allege Russell falsified her registration by listing an incorrect address.

The case is being prosecuted by Dade County Prosecuting Attorney Marcy Greenwade and is assigned to Associate Circuit Judge Troxell. Court records show Russell failed to appear for a November 2024 hearing, prompting the issuance of a warrant. She appeared by video for arraignment on Oct. 22, 2025, where she was advised of her rights and entered a plea of not guilty. A bond-reduction hearing is set for Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. before Judge Troxell.

Court records list a prior Dade County case from 2024 in which Russell was also charged with filing false documents.

As of press time, Russell remained in custody at the Cedar County Jail.