Four Shot, Their Homes Set Ablaze In Tiny Nebraska Town — Neighbor In Custody, Police Say

LAUREL, NE — A man was arrested Friday about 24 hours after his neighbors were shot and their homes were set on fire in the tiny town of Laurel, Nebraska, according to police.

Jason Jones, 42, of the 200 block of Elm Street, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. Friday on probable cause for homicide after a SWAT team breached his home and found him in a bedroom with severe burns on large parts of his body, police said. Jones was flown to a hospital in Lincoln in serious condition and remains in custody in connection with the deaths of four neighbors, according to police.

“I want to acknowledge the indescribable grief that this community’s experiencing right now and that’s going to be compounded by the betrayal of trust that they’re going to feel because a community member here is alleged to have committed these crimes,” Col. John Bolduc, of the Nebraska State Patrol, said at a press conference Friday that was live streamed on the state patrol Facebook page.

Emergency crews received a 911 call about an explosion shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday at a home in the 200 block of Elm Street, according to police, who said a body was found inside the structure, which had been set on fire. While first responders were at the scene, they learned of a second fire in the 500 block of Elm Street and discovered another three bodies at that home, police said.

Authorities identified the victims Friday as Michele Ebeling, 53; Gene Twiford, 86; Janet Twiford, 85; and Dana Twiford, 55. All four had suspected gunshot wounds, police said.

Located about 40 miles west of Sioux City, Iowa, Laurel has a population of around 1,000. Cedar County Sheriff Larry Koranda described the community Thursday as "tight-knit" and "safe."

“There is no more danger to the Laurel community or northeast Nebraska,” Bolduc said Friday after the arrest.