A Tilden couple has been identified by authorities as the occupants inside a burned-out pickup that is believed to be the result of murder-suicide.
Pierce County Attorney Verlyn Luebbe said in a press release that while official DNA testing has not been done, it appears the bodies were those of 37-year old Josh Klinetobe of Tilden and his 33-year old wife Bobbi-Jo Klinetobe of Meadow Grove. Luebbe says that evidence gathered by authorities shows that Bobbi Jo was killed by her husband before he took his own life. Law enforcement said they believe no one else was involved in the incident. The couple have five children and Josh Klinetobe has two other children, according to friends of the couple. A fund has been set up help the family. Monetary donations are being accepted at The Tilden Bank and now online at www.gofundme.com/xbg5bamc to help the children affected by Monday's murder-suicide, near the Pierce-Neligh Road. "I am asking for the community to wrap their arms around these children in love and support and prayer. With this tragedy being a few days before Christmas, a group of us are working together to try to provide these kids with some gifts and gift cards to be delivered to them on Christmas Eve," organizer Dawn Nelson said. Although clothes are being accepted, Nelson said the most helpful form of donation is monetary or gift cards, such as to Thriftway Market, HyVee, Target or other locations. What Happened? Shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, Pierce Fire and Rescue responded to a vehicle on fire nine miles west and one mile north of Pierce. According to Lt. Dan Wilson with the Nebraska State Patrol’s Troop B office in Norfolk, when Pierce County deputies arrived at the fire, they found a vehicle engulfed in flames. “The call came out as a single vehicle out in the middle of a bean field that was fully engulfed in flames. The fire and rescue squads were called out to extinguish the fire and as they were doing so, they noticed what happened to be human remains in the vehicle.” Volunteer firefighters with the Pierce Fire Department worked to extinguish the blaze and upon suppressing the flames, observed human remains in the cab of the pick-up. Lt. Wilson says the investigation is ongoing as they attempt to make identifications of the occupant or occupants inside the pickup. “From here at this point in time, what we’ll do is perform autopsies that’ll be done in Sioux City, Iowa in the near future. In conjunction with that, we’re hoping to verify the identity or identities of those inside the vehicle.” “Once we are able to make entry, we will work to identify the remains and determine what caused the vehicle to catch fire.” Pierce County Attorney Verlyn Luebbe, Sheriff Rick Eberhart and Investigators with the Nebraska State patrol are treating the site of the fire as a crime scene. Lt. Wilson adds that the owners of the property near just east of 855 Road and 539 Avenue where the pickup came to its final resting spot were the reporting parties who notified authorities of the fire. The Pierce County Sheriff’s office, Nebraska State Patrol, Pierce Fire Department, and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office responded to the scene on Monday afternoon. The investigation continues and no identity or identities have been released at this time. “We have made preliminary identification of the two bodies,” said Investigative Service Lt. Dan Wilson, Troop B-Norfolk. “Our investigation at this point is consistent with a murder-suicide.” |
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