Nebraska father kills family in triple murder-suicide on son's graduation day

Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News on May 12, 2025

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A Nebraska man killed his family in a triple murder-suicide on the day of his eldest son’s high school graduation, police said.

Jeremy Koch, 42, fatally stabbed his wife, Bailey, and their two sons, Hudson and Asher, on Saturday at their home in Johnson Lake, Nebraska State Patrol said in a press release. Hudson Koch, 18, was scheduled to graduate from Cozad High School that same day.

Koch had battled mental health problems since 2009 and was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bailey Koch, 41, had chronicled her husband’s mental health journey and the family’s efforts to help him on a Facebook page and in multiple articles for the local newspaper.

In a since-removed GoFundMe page, Bailey said one day in March, she woke up to Jeremy standing over her with a knife, News Channel Nebraska reported. In previous posts, she said Jeremy had survived multiple suicide attempts.

“Finding a happy medium where Jeremy can actually live, as opposed to constantly fighting to stay alive, has been a battle we’ve been on since 2009,” she wrote for Cozad Local in a post published three days before the murders. “July of 2024 was when the suicidal thoughts returned after a seven-year hiatus.”

Jeremy was released from the hospital that same day ahead of Hudson’s high school graduation. Bailey celebrated the news with a Facebook post.

“We still need lots of prayers as we try and carry on with life and find our new ‘normal,’” she wrote. “Tonight .. we rest. Much love to you and God bless. We will keep you updated!”

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