The prosecution contended during the trial the three defendants hatched a plot to rob a Columbus methamphetamine dealer but wound up going to Jorgensens home about 6 p.m. May 17 to get money. Daniel Reese, 24, died of an apparently self-inflicted wound, said Platte County Attorney John Kohl. Legend has it that Rodriguez, an electrician who was electrocuted in the 1940s during the building of the auditorium, haunts the area by flickering the lights and turning them off and on. Keener took officers to the second location in the 200 block of 16th Avenue. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is near the state average. After eight years with no solid leads, police questioned whether Julie had died of an overdose and her body was simply disposed of. Reeses wife, Renee, 23, and children, Megan, 6, and Jeremy, 4, each were shot in the head, Kohl said. Henry, of Columbus, was the last of three defendants sentenced in Jorgensens murder. Get Alerts Map; Browse By State; Submit a Crime Tip Square with arrow pointing upper right. Steinke gave Chase Micklevitz credit for 367 days previously served since his arrest about 90 minutes after the fatal stabbing. (KSNB) - The Columbus Police Department arrested a man for first-degree murder on Sunday. Position switches part of 'magic' for Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, Zoning quirk paved way for proposed downtown Lincoln skyscraper, Columbus man wins delay in start of murder trial, Bond review request backfires on man accused of fatally stabbing grandmother, Nebraska man's trial set in grandmother's slaying, Deadly train collision in Greece kills dozens, Asteroid samples suggest origin of life on Earth may have come via impact, Michigan utilities face power-outage challenges, Ship that came to tragic end found in Lake Huron. Wednesday, police said they had identified all three of the individuals, as well as determining that one of the three was a bystander and not involved in the shooting. COLUMBUS Convicted murderer Eric Henry was called a brutal killer devoid of conscience for the 2013 slaying of a 51-year-old Columbus man before being sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Manslaughter is a Class III felony, punishable by up to 20 years behind bars. Murder Info. Two weeks later, her . At 4:19 p.m. on Jan. 16, officers from the CPD and Columbus Fire Department responded to a call of a person who fell outside of 1305 Eighth St. in Columbus. According to local legend, the ghost of a young girl who died in the basement can be seen here. He is said to make screeching sounds near the produce and dairy sections and has appeared to employees at around 2 a.m. COLUMBUS, Neb. It is said that orbs of light can be seen here, but visitors trying to take pictures report that they feel a bit disoriented and find that their cameras mysteriously fail to work until they leave the area. He was a regular patron, and although he has since passed away, his spirit has made it clear that he still visits regularly. Molczyk said the police departments investigation will continue as the court proceedings are going on. An armed robbery was reported in Columbus Sunday night. Defense attorney Mark Sipple said the penalty for first-degree murder didnt leave the court much discretion in sentencing. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. In Columbus, you have a 1 in 836 chance of falling victim to a violent crime, such as rape, robbery, assault, or even murder. The 2019 Columbus crime rate rose by 9% compared to 2018. Also, an apparition of a crying woman has been seen walking down the hall. This park was known for its lynch mobs who would long ago target African-Americans. A paranormal team had it's flashlight turn on Cemeteries near Columbus, NE The 1901 Hotel Cafe and Saloon, now operating as a restaurant, is believed to be haunted by victims of murders or suicides thought to have occurred in the building. Residents say electronic appliances and showers turn on by themselves. Keener. Your overall chance of being a victim of crime in Columbus, NE is 1 in 61. On March 1, 1950, 15 choir members were supposed to meet for practice at the West Side Baptist Church in Beatrice. Name. The defendant continued to commit violent crimes after becoming an adult, she said. There are also cold spots felt near the site of his death. 1254 27th Ave. Columbus, NE . Fire and rescue crews in Kearney responded to reports of a fire in a trailer court on June 17, 2008. Some parts 2023 Advameg, Inc. Crime rate in Columbus, Nebraska (NE): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. "Match Any Neighborhood" calculates the Match Level of one neighborhood to another using more than 200 characteristics of each neighborhood. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Theres not much to talk about here today, Sipple said. Apparitions of all three men are said to show up at night, digging by lantern light. COLUMBUS A district court judge said a 20-year-old Columbus mans protracted history of alcohol and drug abuse that began nearly a decade ago culminated in the stabbing death of his grandmother in the home they shared. to columbus, nebraska our police arrest aan m for the murder of a 77 year old officers booked 28 year old michael keener on suspicnio of first-degree murder and a weapons chaerg police say they . An armed robbery was reported in Columbus Sunday night. Although the city moved from its previous rank of 6.0, if you're visiting Scottsbluff you need to remember it still ranks sixth highest in violent crime. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. TELEGRAM STAFF. Madison County Sheriff's Office View Source Square with arrow pointing upper right. Formerly TrailBlazers restaurant and before that a Montgomery Ward department store, this office building is believed to be haunted due to reports that objects move about on their own here. Updated annually. Henry chose not to testify during the trial. Later on, the spot became a shopping center, and it is here that strange happenings have been reported. A Columbus man has been arrested following a shooting that left a 90-year-old woman dead and another . Although his car was also caught on camera, there was no front license plate and the rear plate could not be read. Some say Lottie haunts the cemetery and that a curse will befall those who visit her gravesite. Counselors were available for employees and also at a school one of the children attended. Close Modal Suggest a . This theater at the University of Nebraska, founded in 1869, is the centerpiece for some oft-told campus tales. The case remains under investigation. Officers also found items belonging to the deceased victim on Keener. Some had car trouble, one overslept, one was listening to a radio show, one just didn't want to go out in the coldthe circumstances were widely varied. Where is 2022 data? After working a few minutes, At the Skyway Drive-In, folks say black phantom dogs with a missing eye and a missing leg roam the grounds. The minimum sentence for manslaughter is one year in prison. Hassan's death is the first homicide under investigation by Columbus police in 2023. 0. Throat cut by a knife Agency. Please subscribe to keep reading. As officials on Wednesday continued to sort through the events that led to the death of German Pedraza, the 27-year-old Columbus man who was shot by a Nebraska State Patrol trooper, his family. You have permission to edit this article. COLUMBUS, Neb. The defendant was a couple months past his 19th birthday when the crime occurred. On that night, however, every single one of the choir members ran late for different reasons. Reese's wife, Renee, 23, and children, Megan, 6, and Jeremy, 4, each were shot in the head, Kohl said. The judge said Jorgensens murder was committed just a year after Henry had been released from state prison for a violent 2007 assault in Platte County. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Co-defendants Quetin Critser, 27, of Lincoln, and Kimberly Henderson, 32, of Columbus, each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced earlier to 35 to 45 years and 50 to 60 years, respectively. Their plans then somehow morphed into a murder when Jorgensen began resisting. As they extinguished the fire, they found the body of 21-year-old Kelcey Fike in the hallway. In the last 5 years Columbus has seen rise of violent crime and decline of property crime. You can cancel at any time. In such a wide open area, they said, they wouldn't have known where to start. We have even interacted with the souls who are attached to the very items in the museum. When Deanna Micklevitz made a 911 call to report being stabbed by her grandson, the prosecutor said, she could be heard struggling to live and struggling to breathe.. Tenants of a law firm now located on the premises have reported seeing his apparition on several occasions over the years. The ancient, isolated grave in the Aurora city cemetery, the "witchs grave," has a mossy tombstone and a protruding marker, said to be a warning to deter others from witchcraft. I say this about any type of thing you want to secure.. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. You can cancel at any time. Police Chief William Gumm would not comment on whether it was a murder-suicide but did say that police are not seeking any suspects. Raw data sources: Witnesses at Jewell Park have reported residual sounds from phantom rodeos, apparitions of people and objects, unexplained mist, footprints, strange noises and animal sounds. Tom and Elizabeth felt unsafe over the turmoil and bought a shotgun. Keener, 28. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. City-data.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site. Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke sentenced the 31-year-old Henry to life for first-degree murder in the May 17, 2013, stabbing death of Steven Jorgensen during a savage attack that followed a robbery gone wrong. The couple worked at the Becton-Dickinson plant in Columbus, a town of 19,500 about 85 miles northwest of Omaha, said plant manager Larry Zach. Columbus police have arrested a man on murder charges after he told them he had killed a man. The oldest grave marker at Ball Cemetery is reported to be dated 1869, and many apparitions have been reported here over the years. Court records indicate the officers were attempting to physically restrain the defendant, who had threatened to harm himself, when he struck both officers in their faces. No one has ever been charged with her murder. While officers were talking with Keener he stated that he had killed a person at another location, the press release states. 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Crime. The hauntings here are said to be caused by three men who, in the early 1900s, were buried alive when a cave they dug into the creek bed collapsed. Officers responded to a call of a person who fell outside of 1305 8th Street at around 4:19 p.m. The investigation also continues into a mass shooting in the early hours of New Year's Day at a Mifflin Township strip club that was the first homicide in Franklin County in the new year. The release continues stating, the initial report was that the person had fallen and had a bump on his head. A Columbus, Nebraska, man who was fatally shot Friday by law enforcement officers first came to authorities' attention as a teenager in 1995 when he admitted to starting a deadly fire. The defendant then fled the scene. Back in its heyday though, there were a number of places on campus said to be haunted. Select your ideal criteria and let Scout do the rest. Three Killed In Apparent Double Murder, Suicide. However, compared to other communities of similar population size, Columbus has a crime rate that is noticeably lower than the average. According to a Monday morning press release from Columbus Police Department (CPD), a man was arrested on a first degree murder charge over the weekend. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! They identified the deceased as Larry Houdek. Property Built in 1887, Mystery Manor was home to William and Greta Hall. Police hope to continue to see decreases in the number of violent deaths in the city this year. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 270.6. On the second and third floors, witnesses have seen shadow figures, heard unexplained voices and felt cold spots. Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone; 14-year-old headed home from school killed in crash near Norfolk 0. At O'Connor's Irish Pub, which opened in 2003, shadow figures and unexplained footsteps are seen and heard in the kitchen as well as in the second-floor bar area. Steinke said Henrys history of violent, assaultive behavior was clearevidence the defendant couldnt survive outside of prison or conform his behavior to societys laws. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc. In 2011, Keener was one of three Columbus teens involved in burglary and attempting to sell stolen firearms. Sydney Loofe, a 24-year-old Lincoln, Nebraska store clerk, was reported missing on Nov. 16, 2017. How does Columbus fare compared to other communities in Nebraska of all population sizes? Also, the Altman Hall is said to be haunted by namesake Clara Altman, who is said to act as Apparitions of an old man and a young girl have been seen at the John Rice Library. In 2022, there were 140 homicides reported, a 31.7% . Just a few weeks later, he packed up her clothes and sold both of their cars. Copyright 2022 KSNB. Christi Nichols was a 22-year-old mother of two when she disappeared from her Gothenburg home on December 10, 1987. Both testified for the prosecution during Henrys trial. Apparitions have been reported to occur in winter near the creek. Her body wasn't found until July 9, 1996 - police said she had died soon after her disappearance, but could not determine a cause of death. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. You present a substantial danger to the public safety.. Thank you! COLUMBUS Bail has been set at $1 million for a Columbus teenager accused of stabbing his 58-year-old grandmother Wednesday afternoon at her home. The 1885 story of the haunted bridge begins with Tom Jones and his widowed sister Elizabeth Taylor, who were fighting with their neighbors over their cattle getting into their neighbors' crops. Folks also say a baby's skeleton was found within the lounge walls during remodeling, and a ghostly mother is said to wail looking for her baby. Your crime is one of great violence, said Steinke while noting the defendants many failed attempts to break free of his drug addictions and his escalating history of violence. Those (actions) show consciousness of guilt, said Allen, noting that toxicology tests taken on the defendant after the crime revealed the presence of synthetic marijuana, commonly known as K2. Also, the ghost of a girl who was electrocuted while playing with a ball near bare electrical wires is said to haunt the tunnels between the dorms. Use at your own risk. Another person who was shot was hospitalized in critical condition. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Columbus is 1 in 1049 and property crime is 1 in 108. Residents say sometimes a ghost bridge appears Neihardt Hall is said to be haunted by Cora, a young woman who committed suicide in the basement. Login; Columbus, NE Area Cold Cases. It was higher than in 50.8% U.S. cities. Barnard Park was once a cemetery, and it is rumored that when the city moved the bodies and turned it into a park, some of the bodies were missed. According to public court documents, Keener has been involved in criminal behavior in the past, mostly misdemeanors. The plant makes medical products such as syringes.