Monday's hearing was the first time Rupnow, 42, returned to court after posting bond and being released from jail. The hearing was also the first opportunity for the media to cover the case in person.

Officers arrested Rupnow, 42, before 4 a.m. on Thursday, May 8. A Dane County court commissioner set his bond at $20,000 on Friday, May 9, and Rupnow posted bond around 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 12.

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase gestures to her players in the second quarter of their WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

When Samantha first went missing in 2022, a private Facebook group called ‘Justice for Samantha Valentine Humphrey’ was made by Texas-based victim advocate Stephanie Kegley and Samantha's mother.