Latest news with #DawsonCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Lyft driver taken hostage in lobby of Dawson County Sheriff's Office, officials say
The Dawson County Sheriff's Office said a hostage situation happened far closer to home than normal. In the early morning hours on Thursday, Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson defused a hostage situation in the Law Enforcement Center's front lobby. According to the sheriff's office, David Christopher Morris, of Dawsonville, was holding a knife to a man said to be his Lyft driver. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Morris told the sheriff's office he'd been picked up in Hall County, and while on his way to an address in Dawson County, threatened the driver and had him drive him straight to the sheriff's office. When the driver and Morris got to the office, Morris held him at knifepoint and walked into the building, demanding to speak to Johnson. TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta rent prices down 1% compared to 2024, but rose month-to-month Acworth police save life of man choking on water bottle cap using LifeVac device Man accused of depositing check meant for GA county commissioners into personal account While waiting for Johnson to arrive, SWAT deputies established a secure perimeter, according to officials. After speaking for a while, Morris released the hostage and surrendered the weapon without further incident. The Lyft driver sustained minor injuries and was treated by Dawson County Fire and Emergency Services, the sheriff's office said. Morris was taken into custody and is in custody at the Dawson County Detention Center. 'We're grateful this situation ended without further harm to the victim, our deputies, or the suspect. It is an honor to work for a strong leader who leads calmly by example, even in the face of danger‚" Dawson County Sheriff's Public Information Officer Sgt. Matthew Blackstock said in a statement. Morris' charges were not made public yet. The sheriff's office said more details would be released when they are available. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
NDTV
13-05-2025
- NDTV
US Man Fatally Stabs Wife, 2 Sons, Then Kills Himself In Murder-Suicide
A 42-year-old man in the United States allegedly killed his wife, two children and then died by suicide, authorities in Nebraska said. According to the Independent, Jeremy Koch fatally stabbed his wife, Bailey, 41, and two sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, before turning the knife on himself. The family of four were found dead with fatal knife wounds at their Johnson Lake home on Saturday. The incident took place just days after Koch was released from a psychiatric hospital, according to the officials. An investigation is ongoing, and the Dawson County Attorney has ordered autopsies for the four family members, the Independent reported. "The Nebraska State Patrol, the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue and the Dawson County Attorney extend condolences to all, across multiple communities, who will be affected by this incident," the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) said in a statement. Bailey Koch's father, Lane Kugler, said that he found the bodies of all four victims in the home. He also said that his son-in-law, Jeremy Koch, had struggled with his mental health for years and that his wife was trying to get him help. "What I saw will haunt me the rest of my life," Kugler wrote in a Facebook post. "This country's mental health care is a disaster. A catastrophe. Broken. And it's not getting any better, it's getting worse," he added. Days before the incident, Bailey, a special education teacher in Holdrege, said that Koch had been released from a mental health hospital three days earlier. In another post, she said that her husband, whom she had first started dating in high school 25 years ago, was "diagnosed with severe depression in 2009". "I have no pride left," she wrote, adding, "Mental illness is taking my husband from me, and I'm begging you to open your eyes and see the reality that is this society's mental health crisis." In a GoFundMe page, launched just days before the incident, Bailey said that her husband's condition worsened in 2024, and in March. She also claimed that she awoke to her husband standing over her with a knife. In her last Facebook post, Bailey said that they had submitted paperwork to their insurer in an attempt for Koch to be approved for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatments, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique used for treating mental health conditions. "Jeremy had been fighting mental illness for many, many years. His depression had turned into psychosis. It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind," Bailey's parents wrote on their joint Facebook page. According to the outlet, the deaths occurred hours before the oldest son's high school graduation. "Cozad Schools was made aware of a tragic situation that will deeply affect our Cozad community," the school district wrote. "In light of yesterday's tragedy, we understand that some students may be experiencing some difficulties," it added in a separate update Sunday. The investigation into the deaths is ongoing, said the Nebraska State Patrol.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- USA Today
'Heartbreaking': Family of 4 found dead before son's graduation in apparent murder-suicide
'Heartbreaking': Family of 4 found dead before son's graduation in apparent murder-suicide Show Caption Hide Caption Mental health: 9-8-8 set to become national crisis hotline An easy-to-remember three-digit number aims to transform the nation's approach to crisis care by providing mental healthcare emergency service. Claire Hardwick, USA TODAY This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Authorities in Nebraska are investigating what state troopers are calling a "heartbreaking" weekend murder-suicide after a couple and their two teenage sons were found slain inside the family's home. Among those who were found dead were Jeremy Koch, 42, his wife, Bailey Koch, 41, who jointly ran a social media page documenting their journey with mental health struggles. Troopers said the couple's two sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, were killed. The Dawson County Sheriff's Office responded to a home near Johnson Lake and found the four residents dead at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, according to the Nebraska State Patrol. The home is in the central part of the state about 70 miles west of Lincoln, the state capital. After a preliminary investigation, authorities determined the father fatally stabbed his sons and wife before killing himself. A knife was found at the scene, troopers wrote. The official causes of death for each family member were pending autopsy results, troopers wrote in the Saturday release. USA TODAY has reached out to Dawson County Attorney Darlene Shafer, the prosecutor who troopers said ordered the autopsies, as well as Dawson County Sheriff Mark Montgomery, whose agency is assisting troopers with the case. Community grieves deaths According to local media outlet and Bailey Koch's Facebook page, she taught special education at Holdrege Public Schools. "Our hearts are with everyone impacted (by) a tragic event that has deeply affected us all," the district posted in a statement on Facebook. Throngs of people responded to the post offering condolences to the family. "They were amazing people," said Leticia Gleason, who told USA TODAY she attended high school with Bailey Koch. Gleason called the teen Koch brothers "two beautiful boys" and their mother "the sweetest person... She most definitely had the ability to see the positive in any situation, which kept her going. She was truly one in a million, a star that shone brighter than most." The couple's teen sons attended Cozad High School where loved ones said the eldest brother was prepared to graduate Saturday. Footage of the school's commencement ceremony was posted on YouTube in which Superintendent Dan Endorf told the audience the senior class "experienced a tragedy within the past few hours." "The bittersweet emotions felt by the senior class on their graduation day, and by this entire gymnasium for that matter, cannot be concealed in this moment," Endorf said. My mom died by suicide. How I learned to talk about it. Couple's mental health journey was documented on Facebook Bailey and Jeremy Koch were the focus of a social media page documenting their journey with mental health struggles. The page, which had amassed more than 23,000 followers by May 12, had most recently shown Jeremy Koch seeking treatment for mental health. "High school sweethearts now together over 25 years, our love story consists of fighting suicidal thoughts and attempts publicly so you know you're not alone," the Anchoring Hope for Mental Health: Jeremy & Bailey Koch Facebook page reads. "We fight with you. And our God is stronger than this battle." Bailey's father, Lane Kugler, who said he found the family dead in their beds, told USA TODAY his son-and-law had struggled with his mental health for most of his life. "I am so angry. And you should be too," Kugler, of Lexington, Nebraska, wrote in a lengthy Facebook post on Sunday. Kugler said his son-in-law fought "mental illness for many, many years." "Bailey fought so hard to help him and she and her sons lived in fear of the possibility of losing her husband and their father to mental illness," the post continues. "They never knew when he would be in a manic state (super high) or horribly depressed (super low), unable to function normally." Kugler told USA TODAY on May 12 he wrote the lengthy post on Facebook "in hopes of trying to get people fired up about the broken metal health care crisis." Mental health school visit: Cowboys' Dak Prescott talks suicide prevention 'More need to know they're not alone' A May 8 post on her personal Facebook page included a photo of Bailey Koch sitting at her husband's hospital bedside. "Whether my husband lives with mental health or dies by mental illness, we will never be quiet," she wrote. "More need to know they're not alone." In a subsequent May 9 post, the day before the family was found dead, Bailey Koch wrote paperwork to approve treatments for her husband's "mental health battle will be submitted today." "Please pray for insurance approval and that we can get started ASAP," she wrote. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Daily Record
Dad stabs wife and two kids to death hours before son's graduation
Jeremy Koch, 42, killed his wife Bailey, 41, and sons Hudson and Asher, aged 18 and 16. A dad stabbed his entire family to death then turned the knife on himself just hours before his son was due to celebrate his High School graduation. Jeremy Koch, 42, killed his wife Bailey, 41, and sons Hudson and Asher, aged 18 and 16. He then turned the blade on himself on Saturday, after he was released from a mental hospital and just hours before son's graduation. His partner's family have blamed his "sick mind" for the crime. Police with the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, in Nebraska, were dispatched to the home in rural Johnson Lake and found four bodies inside the property. All members of the family were found with stab wounds, according to police. The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) said in a statement that it is believed Koch "killed each of his his taking his own life." A knife was found at the scene. Police said a homicide investigation is being carried out to learn the circumstances of the events leading up to the killing. Lane and Peggy Kugler, the dad and mother of Bailey and the grandparents of the two children shared a heartfelt Facebook tribute to their daughter. They added: "Jeremy had been fighting mental illness for many, many years. His depression had turned into psychosis. It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind. "Bailey, Jeremy and the boy's faith was very strong. It really helped them through the worst of times. We find strength in our belief that heaven now has four new angels sitting at the right hand of God. They are together and Jeremy's sickness is gone. "Bailey fought so hard to help him and she and her sons lived in fear of the possibility of losing her husband and their father to mental illness for many years. 'They never knew when he would be in a manic state (super high) or horribly depressed (super low), unable to function normally. "Bailey fought so hard to bring attention to those who needed help. 'She was a huge advocate for mental health. She spent countless hours on their Facebook page, Anchoring Hope for Mental Health: Jeremy & Bailey Koch. 'If you go to that page, you can read about how so many people thanked her for her open and honest writing about mental health." The couple continued: "Bailey and Jeremy spent years and years seeking help and answers to Jeremy's condition. Doctor after doctor, hospital after hospital, medication after medication, therapy after therapy. Treatment after treatment. "What we have learned through all of this is that every single person in the mental health care industry try so hard to help people. Every single one of them genuinely cares for those that need help. From those at the front desk, to the doctors that prescribe treatment, to the nurses that carry out doctor's orders, to the custodians that keep things clean and useful." They then railed against the state of mental health in the US, branding it "a catastrophe" and "getting worse." According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2022 there were an estimated 15.4 million adults aged 18 or older in the US with serious mental illness. Hudson had been due to graduate from Cozad High School. A statement shared by the school district on Sunday said: "In light of yesterday's tragedy, we understand that some students may be experiencing some difficulties. The high school commons will be open for students this afternoon from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. We will have school staff and counsellors available for support. We will also have support available for students and staff when school resumes on Monday." "The investigation remains ongoing," NSP added. "The Nebraska State Patrol, the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue, and the Dawson County Attorney extend condolences to all, across multiple communities, who will be affected by this incident."
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Dad fatally stabs wife, children, to death hours before son's graduation
Jeremy Koch, 42, killed his wife and two sons just days after he was released from a mental health hospital with his partner's family decrying blaming his "sick mind" for the crime A dad stabbed his entire family to death before turning the knife on himself just hours before his eldest son was due to celebrate his graduation. Jeremy Koch, 42, killed his wife Bailey, 41, and sons Hudson and Asher, aged 18 and 16 respectively, before turning the blade on himself on Saturday. Police with the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, in Nebraska, were dispatched to the home in rural Johnson Lake, about 172 miles west of the city of Lincoln, and found four bodies inside the property. All members of the family were found with stab wounds, according to police. The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) said in a statement that it is believed Koch "killed each of his his taking his own life." A knife was found at the scene. Koch is understood to have fatally stabbed members of his family and turning the knife on himself just three days after he was released from a mental health hospital. The NSP said a homicide investigation is being carried out to learn the circumstances of the events leading up to the killing. Lane and Peggy Kugler, the dad and mother of Bailey and the grandparents of the two children shared a heartfelt Facebook tribute, which can be viewed in full here, to her daughter and about Koch's history with mental illness. They added: "Jeremy had been fighting mental illness for many, many years. His depression had turned into psychosis. It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind. "Bailey, Jeremy and the boy's faith was very strong. It really helped them through the worst of times. We find strength in our belief that heaven now has four new angels sitting at the right hand of God. They are together and Jeremy's sickness is gone. "Bailey fought so hard to help him and she and her sons lived in fear of the possibility of losing her husband and their father to mental illness for many years. They never knew when he would be in a manic state (super high) or horribly depressed (super low), unable to function normally. "Bailey fought so hard to bring attention to those who needed help. She was a huge advocate for mental health. She spent countless hours on their Facebook page, Anchoring Hope for Mental Health: Jeremy & Bailey Koch. If you go to that page, you can read about how so many people thanked her for her open and honest writing about mental health." The couple continued: "Bailey and Jeremy spent years and years seeking help and answers to Jeremy's condition. Doctor after doctor, hospital after hospital, medication after medication, therapy after therapy. Treatment after treatment. "What we have learned through all of this is that every single person in the mental health care industry try so hard to help people. Every single one of them genuinely cares for those that need help. From those at the front desk, to the doctors that prescribe treatment, to the nurses that carry out doctor's orders, to the custodians that keep things clean and useful." They then railed against the state of mental health in the US, branding it "a catastrophe" and "getting worse." According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2022 there were an estimated 15.4 million adults aged 18 or older in the US with serious mental illness. In 2022, Nebraska recorded 73 homicides across the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hudson had been due to graduate from Cozad High School, which happened on Saturday afternoon, just hours after the killing. A statement shared by the school district on Sunday said: "In light of yesterday's tragedy, we understand that some students may be experiencing some difficulties. The high school commons will be open for students this afternoon from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. We will have school staff and counsellors available for support. We will also have support available for students and staff when school resumes on Monday." "The investigation remains ongoing," NSP added. "The Nebraska State Patrol, the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue, and the Dawson County Attorney extend condolences to all, across multiple communities, who will be affected by this incident."
