LINCOLN, Neb. — Authorities are awaiting autopsy results on human remains discovered in Saunders County, believed to belong to a missing Nebraska couple, Hannah Neville and Roberta Tanner. The Lincoln Police Department announced that the autopsy was scheduled for today as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances of their disappearance and presumed deaths.
Following a series of developments in the investigation, four additional arrests were made in connection with the case. Among those arrested are Ammie Mitchell, 47, Kendall Hawthorne, 57, Matthew Lickliter, 28, and Sheena Miller, 40. All four are currently held on a $1 million bond, with charges ranging from accessory to murder to tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors have indicated that Hawthorne is considered a serious flight risk, given the gravity of the charges levied against him. Police are still determining how the suspects are connected to Neville and Tanner, whose disappearance led to intensifying investigative efforts in the months leading up to the recent arrests.
Details regarding the events surrounding the couple’s last known whereabouts have emerged, painting a troubling picture. On January 15, the investigation revealed that Sterling James, believed to be linked to the case, and Miller were present at a location along 27th Street when Neville and Tanner reportedly followed them in a separate vehicle. The situation escalated when James allegedly shot and killed both victims, with Miller assisting in the subsequent move of their bodies.
Further complicating the timeline, police indicated that items belonging to Neville, including personal belongings, were removed from her vehicle and some have yet to be recovered. Investigators are piecing together accounts from witnesses, including an eyewitness who noticed suspicious activity involving the suspects following the alleged crimes.
Additionally, court documents outline that the arrested individuals, including Mitchell, Miller, and Hawthorne, are accused of aiding James and Sayde Titus in the unsettling events leading to Neville and Tanner’s deaths. Lickliter is scheduled for a court appearance soon, joining the others in facing potential consequences for their alleged actions.
As the investigation continues, police maintain that they are still working to establish the motive behind the crimes. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by Tanner’s family to assist with funeral expenses, reflecting the community’s response to the tragedy surrounding the couple’s disappearance.
The Lincoln Police Department is urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward, as investigators continue to seek answers amid these harrowing circumstances.