The highly unusual case was profiled in Chadron author Poe Ballantine's book "Love and Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere. Police determined that she had been murdered and the fire was set to eliminate evidence. Officers found a 77-year-old Larry Houdek deceased. The case remains open, but many people think that, despite the position and condition in which the body was found, Haataja committed suicide. The number of homicides stood at 81 - a decrease of 18 compared to 2018. 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. (The image above is not of the West Side Baptist Church which was completely destroyed in the explosion. The David Dorm is rumored to be haunted by Native Americans whose 1700s bones were found when the dorm was built in the 1970s. Season 4 Trailer: The disappearance of Sydney Loofe. An account of the ghostly lady, who demanded to know the whereabouts of her children before walking back to her grave in the cemetery and vanishing, was published in the Omaha Daily One witness warns that the spirits may rise from the graves and attack visitors at night. . Discover your neighborhood's best match, anywhere. In arguments before sentencing, Special Deputy County Attorney Sandra Allen sought a maximum sentence for Micklevitz after describing how Deanna Micklevitz suffered an agonizing death as the result of four stab wounds. No arrests have been made in the shooting. Robber's Cave, in southwest Lincoln near the intersection of 10th and High streets, was called Pahuk Bluff by the Pawnee Indians who came here to contact Tirawa, the god of all things. Attorney General Jon Bruning said Friday that 32-year-old Kimberly Henderson of Columbus entered the . Skeptics say this is because of the reflective limestone in the headstones. According to public court documents, Keener has been involved in criminal behavior in the past, mostly misdemeanors. The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. Authorities responded to the scene shortly after 7:00 p.m., where they discovered Esther Kummer . Molczyk said the police departments investigation will continue as the court proceedings are going on. Sarah's mother said that the girl was troubled and may have made poor choices that got her involved with some unsavory people. Login; Columbus, NE Area Cold Cases. 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. No one has ever been charged with her murder. The building started out in 1915 as a meat-packing plant, but changed hands to a packing operation. In the last 5 years Columbus has seen rise of violent crime and decline of property crime. The train bridge used to cross the Logan Creek, and from this former trestle, the man was hanged. Police responded to a person falling outside and ended up making an arrest. According to officials, the initial report was that the person had fallen and had a bump on his head. According to a 2011 Telegram article, Keener was convicted of burglary and attempting to sell stolen guns. The Death of Kelcey Fike. On the second and third floors, witnesses have seen shadow figures, heard unexplained voices and felt cold spots. You can cancel at any time. Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke sentenced Chase Micklevitz to 18 to 20 years in prison for manslaughter in connection with the July 30, 2014, fatal stabbing of Deanna Micklevitz in their Columbus home. Latest word has it that the college will be refurbished and reopened around 2015-2016. The defendant then fled the scene. Crime rate in Columbus, OH The 2019 crime rate in Columbus, OH is 362 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.3 times greater than the U.S. average. A Columbus man has been arrested following a shooting that left a 90-year-old woman dead and another . This is a list of notable male murderers who committed their murders in Nebraska, USA. 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. February 22, 1995. The case remains under investigation. Thank you! The park is believed to be haunted, as many witnesses will attest. Dana College dates back to 1884, but was recently shut down and sold in 2010 due to financial problems. Some of the strange occurrences here have been unexplained footsteps, a ghostly baby's wails, and a man screaming, asking for help, and grabbing the legs of passersby. Henry chose not to testify during the trial. 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. Officers responded to a call of a person who fell outside of 1305 8th Street at around 4:19 p.m. You have permission to edit this article. Her husband claimed that they both went to bed at 2 am, and he noticed that she was gone when he woke up, but claimed to have no other knowledge of her location or condition. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, 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, After all this time: Cedar Rapids couple selling business after 105 years in family, Community building inches closer to opening, Berry exciting visitor: South Dakota's The Fruit Truck to make short stop in Columbus, McKewon: Why Nebraska teams could roar like lions in March, and a tribute to Dirk, Dive team from Oregon join search for missing Aurora couple, Nebraska volleyball to play match at Memorial Stadium in historic 'statewide celebration' event, Columbus police respond to potential school threat, Meet Tory Pittman, the 14-year-old Nebraskan with a Husker football offer, Lincoln Police shock 14-year-old boy with Taser following reported assault, Area boys basketball: Three area teams stay alive, Defiant, aggressive students disrupting Nebraska elementary school classrooms, Ukraine will join NATO but in 'long- term', says NATO chief Stoltenberg, Finland begins building fence along Russia border, Thousands protest against against Israel judicial reform, Toilet paper identified as major 'forever chemical ' polluter in wastewater. In 1949 a gas leak and resulting explosion killed several people. Another is Mary Mumford, who is buried here. Here is a list of Columbus homicides for the year 2023: 1) Jan. 4: DeAndre Meadows, 23. (AP) _ A mother, father and their two young children were found shot to death early today. As they extinguished the fire, they found the body of 21-year-old Kelcey Fike in the hallway. Keener. It was higher than in 89.4% U.S. cities. Zoo officials said the 5-year-old, 60-pound female cheetah, named Gretchen, was in the staff's sight the whole time she was outside of her enclosure. He had no motive to hurt her, Sipple said while asking the judge to consider the defendants immaturity for his age. Residents of this dorm have reported hearing a girl choking and gagging at night. Witnesses report that many apparitions have been seen in this field, walking across it and into the woods. You present a substantial danger to the public safety.. An armed robbery was reported in Columbus Sunday night. Police Chief William Gumm would not comment on whether it was a murder-suicide but did say that police are not seeking any suspects. As of Oct. 21, 2020, 131 people had been killed in Columbus. A 37-year-old person died in a fire early Wednesday at a Lincoln apartment, Lincoln Fire & Rescue said. The murder charge carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The minimum sentence for manslaughter is one year in prison. Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. Keener took officers to that location in the 200 block of 16th Ave. Use at your own risk. He attacked Greta with an axe then buried her in the front yard. Hassan's death is the first homicide under investigation by Columbus police in 2023. Keener. Kummer has been charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. Police speculated at first that the professor may have been gay and could have been murdered in a hate crime, but that theory was later ruled out. Roughly similar to the national average, our analysis shows that your chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Columbus is one in 1049. On March 10, 1997, just one day after being promoted to manager of the Amoco gas station in Cozad, Leah Rowlands was robbed and murdered. 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. Three other people suffered non life-threatening injuries in the shooting, the sheriff's office said. Chase loved his grandmother he would never hurt her. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations. On Tuesday afternoon, city homicide detectives released photographs of three people they identified as "persons of interest.". In such a wide open area, they said, they wouldn't have known where to start. Charles Westbrook, 28, of the West Side, was shot and killed in the shooting, which the Franklin County Sheriff's office took place around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday after an argument inside Buck's Platinum Club, located at 2830 Johnstown Road at Stygler Road, resulted in gunfire that struck Westbrook and four others. A Columbus man awaiting trial for first-degree murder has died in a Lincoln prison. Map Browse By State. Also, an apparition of a crying woman has been seen walking down the hall. 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. 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. The college library is believed to be haunted by a woman in a white dress who appears in the basement or in front of a window during the full moon. You have permission to edit this article. Keener was arrested for First Degree Murder and Use of Deadly Weapon to Commit a Felony and taken to the Platte Detention Facility. Please subscribe to keep reading. Keener took officers to the second location in the 200 block of 16th Avenue. Officers also found items belonging to the deceased victim on Michael J. This 1894 bed and breakfast inn is housed inside a historic mansion, which has many ghostly tales associated with it. So the story goes, a nearby school collapsed in a big windstorm, pinning and killing a little girl named May Carter. Find museums in Columbus, NE, St. Patrick's Cemetery - Glowing Graveyard, TrailBlazers - Old Montgomery Ward Building. You can cancel at any time. Folks have reported that tombstones may move and unexplained noises can be heard on the site. ), As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. No murder weapon, fingerprints, or other pieces of evidence were found to help police identify the killer. Officers called at 6:25 p.m. to the 900 block of Lawyers Lane found Meadows in a driveway with multiple. Named after Scotts Bluff, a rounded cliff overlooking the Platts River, the city is the third most dangerous city in Nebraska. But a mass murder in Lincoln once killed 11 people all at once, and many Nebraskans have no idea it ever happened. 39.8 miles from Columbus, NE. He was a regular patron, and although he has since passed away, his spirit has made it clear that he still visits regularly. Some have mentioned seeing a lady in a long black dress in the kitchen or hear footsteps in the dining room. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Columbus is 1 in 1049 and property crime is 1 in 108. Fire and rescue crews in Kearney responded to reports of a fire in a trailer court on June 17, 2008. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc. Steinke said Henrys history of violent, assaultive behavior was clearevidence the defendant couldnt survive outside of prison or conform his behavior to societys laws. COLUMBUS, Neb. Manslaughter is a Class III felony, punishable by up to 20 years behind bars. On that night, however, every single one of the choir members ran late for different reasons. 0. 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. Jim Osborn is a news reporter at The Columbus Telegram. How does Columbus fare compared to other communities in Nebraska of all population sizes? Upon arrival officers made contact with the person who fell, this person was identified as Michael J. COLUMBUS, Neb. These 6 sad stories and one incredibly happy story all took place right here in Nebraska. Fire and rescue crews in Kearney responded to reports of a fire in a trailer court on June 17, 2008. Anyone with information regarding this incident, is asked to call Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477). Columbus's crime rate is lower than approximately 17% of Nebraska communities. Henrys comment during the preparation of his presentence investigation report, Allen said, was to say that he never thought (he assaulted) anyone who didnt deserve it.. 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Love Nebraska? 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. The Platte County Attorneys Office did not return calls regarding Keeners first court appearance for his current charges before the Telegrams print deadline Monday night. 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 . Keener, 28. (KSNB) - The Columbus Police Department arrested a man for first-degree murder on Sunday. Aug 1, 2015 Updated May 2, 2017. The choir was always extremely prompt and arrived for practice by 7:25 pm. 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. On March 1, 1950, 15 choir members were supposed to meet for practice at the West Side Baptist Church in Beatrice. At 4:19 p.m. on Jan. 16 . Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. According to local legend, the ghost of a young girl who died in the basement can be seen here. Copyright 2022 KSNB. ", In the midst of all of the sad and tragic unsolved mysteries, it's nice to know that there are also good things that escape explanation. Although there have been no leads and no serious suspects, police are confident that it's just a matter of time before Kelcey's murderer is brought to justice. (KSNB) - The Columbus Police Department arrested a man for first-degree murder on Sunday. Formerly dairy farm, and then a skating rink, the park is said to be haunted by a little boy killed long ago by a gang of bullies. The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. 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