Most of the time, Nebraska is a wonderful place that offers up some of the best living in the country. The Cornhusker State is beautiful, with so much to offer visitors and locals alike. There are so many amazing places in Nebraska that make our state wonderful. But that doesn’t mean we’ve been untouched by evil and tragedy. Like all places, permanent marks have been left on our great state by people with a dark side. Here are some of the most serial notorious murderers and serial killers in Nebraska.

1. Nikko Jenkins
Wikimedia
Nikko Jenkins had a tough upbringing. He was in and out of the criminal justice system from the tender age of seven. By the time he reached adulthood, he had been imprisoned many times for a variety of crimes, many of them quite violent. In the summer of 2013, he was paroled from a 10-year sentence for robbery and assault. Less than a month later, he went on a killing spree. Four lives were claimed in the span of 10 days. Jenkins willingly confessed to all four murders, claiming they were done in honor of the ancient Egyptian serpent god Apophis.

His sentencing posed a problem for the judge. Jenkins had been declared competent to stand trial, and even to represent himself. However, the judge was not confident that Jenkins, a diagnosed schizophrenic, was capable of understanding the death penalty charges against him. He was held under observation in a prison in Lincoln until he was determined to be stable. In May 2017, he was sentenced to death. He currently resides on death row in the Nebraska State Penitentiary.
2. Robert Hawkins
Code36/Wikimedia Commons
On December 5, 2007, 19-year-old Robert Hawkins walked into the Von Maur store in Westroads Mall in Omaha. He opened fire on terrified employees and shoppers. The attack was short, lasting only about six minutes, but the damage was devastating. Hawkins killed eight people and wounded another four. The attack ended when he shot himself in the head. It was the deadliest mass murder in Nebraska in nearly 50 years.
3. Charles Starkweather and 4. Caril Ann Fugate
Murderpedia
Charlie Starkweather and his teenage girlfriend Caril Fugate are the perpetrators of arguably the most famous murders in Nebraska. In late 1957, Starkweather robbed and killed a service station attendant. Two months later, Starkweather killed Fugate's parents and sister before the couple set off on a killing spree. Their murderous rampage would last eight days and claim seven lives. Charles Starkweather was executed in 1959.

Caril Fugate has always maintained that she was being held captive by Starkweather and was not a willing participant in any of the killings. She served 17 1/2 years of a life sentence and was paroled in 1976. She remains the youngest female in U.S. history to be convicted of first-degree murder.

Related Stories

Fu Manchu, The Famed Orangutan Escape Artist, Learned To Pick Locks Right Here In Nebraska

Fu Manchu, The Famed Orangutan Escape Artist, Learned To Pick Locks Right Here In Nebraska

 Here’s The Story Behind The Sandstone Pillars In Nebraska

Here’s The Story Behind The Sandstone Pillars In Nebraska

 Most People In Nebraska Don’t Know That Fort Robinson Was A German POW Camp In WWII

Most People In Nebraska Don’t Know That Fort Robinson Was A German POW Camp In WWII
5. Jorge Galindo | 6. Gabriel Rodriguez | 7. Jose Sandoval 8. Erick Vela
Google Maps
On September 26, 2002, three armed men walked into the U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk and immediately opened fire. The men (Galindo, Sandoval, and Vega) murdered one bank customer and four employees in just under a minute. Gabriel Rodriguez was intended to be the group's getaway driver, but he drove off and left the men there during the shooting.

No money was taken during the incident, which led some experts to believe that the killings were done for the thrill and not an attempted robbery. The men were apprehended, tried, and convicted for multiple crimes, including murder. All four have exhausted all of their appeals and will be spending the rest of their lives in prison.
9. Frank Carter
Nebraska DOC/Wikimedia Commons
Irish immigrant Frank Carter was born Patrick Murphy, but he's best known as the Omaha Sniper. In February 1926, Carter went on a mayhem killing spree in and around Omaha. He murdered at least two people, plus indiscriminately fired his gun into both residential and business windows. The danger was considered so great that Omahans were advised to stay home. Carter was known to shoot people as they stood in their homes near lighted windows, so law enforcement urged residents to keep their lights out at night. Carter was eventually arrested. He claimed to have taken 43 lives, but was only tried and convicted for the two murders that could be proven. He was executed on June 24, 1927.
10. Michael Ryan
NBC News
Rulo is a small town in the far southeastern corner of Nebraska. It's got a population of around 100 and wouldn't be very notable if it weren't the site of some of the most famous murders in Nebraska. It was the setting for Michael Ryan's horrific acts in the early 1980s. Ryan led a small white supremacist, anti-government survivalist group known as Christian Identity. Ryan abused and tortured Luke Stice, the five-year old son of one of his followers. Stice ended up dying of acute injuries after enduring unimaginable suffering for several months. Ryan later performed more acts of torture on follower James Thimm. Thimm's suffering was drawn out for two weeks before Ryan finally killed him. Ryan was sentenced to death in 1985. He died of cancer on death row in May 2015.

The crimes that were committed by these Nebraskans were truly senseless and show that there is a dark side of Nebraska, despite its beauty and attractions. We’ll never forget those that were affected by these terrible acts of violence. Let us know in the comments: what other serial killers from Nebraska do you know of that have left a permanent dark spot on the state’s history?

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Dark Side Of Nebraska

Lisa Sammons | March 04, 2023

Have there been any serial killers in Nebraska?

We've had several famous murders in Nebraska:

  • John Joubert was executed in Nebraska in 1996. He was convicted of murdering three boys in Maine and Nebraska.
  • Cecil Henry Floyd took the lives of six people in Nebraska from 1963-1964.
  • Eli Stutzman killed his family and several others in the 1970s-1980s.

 

What are some creepy urban legends in Nebraska?

Nebraska is a great place, but that doesn't mean that there aren't spooky urban legends surrounding us! Hummel Park is thought to be one of the most haunted places in Nebraska. It's allegedly home to all kinds of spirits.

Related Articles

Explore Nebraska

Featured Addresses
Nebraska, USA