Posted August 09, 2022 04:19am
(KNZA)--A former Atchison/Brown County resident was among four people killed in the small northeast Nebraska town of Laurel last week.
Authorities say the body of 53-year-old Michele Shankles Ebeling, who grew up in Muscotah and later lived in rural Brown County, was found inside one of two homes that were set on fire early August 4.
The bodies of the three other victims, ranging in age from 55 to 86, were discovered in a nearby home.
The Nebraska State Patrol says the four victims were shot and killed before the homes were deliberately set on fire.
A neighbor of the victims, 42-year-old Jason Jones, was arrested Friday in connection with the quadruple homicide. He is being treated for severe burns at a Lincoln hospital.
Jones has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony and two counts of first-degree arson. His bond has been set at five million dollars.
A motive for the murders is not known at this time.
