Attorneys present closing arguments in trial of Nebraska man accused of quadruple homicide

Sept. 25, 2024, 4 p.m. ·

Dakota County Courthouse
Dakota County Courthouse. (Photo by Brian Beach/Nebraska Public Media News)

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Attorneys presented closing statements Wednesday in the trial for a Nebraska man accused of quadruple homicide in 2022.

Defendant Jason Jones is facing four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree arson and the four counts of the use of a firearm to commit a felony for his connection with the deaths of four of his neighbors in Laurel, a northeast Nebraska town of just over 900 people.

Prosecuting attorney Sandra Allen told jurors that Jones premeditated all four murders, citing text messages and video evidence of him purchasing supplies the day before the incident.

She showed the jury videos of him buying two gas cans and a backpack at Fleet Farm in Sioux City several hours before the items were found at the crime scene.

“This isn't something that's a rash, sudden decision," she said. "This is building up to the ultimate crime of murdering [Gene Twiford] on Aug. 4, 2022. That is evidence of premeditation. That is evidence of intent.”

Defense attorney Matthew McDonald said Jones had a mental breakdown the night he killed three members of the Twiford family, and therefore should not be charged with premeditated murder.

McDonald presented a deleted message found in Jason Jones' notes app that was presumably to his wife.

The message read in part, "Until we meet again, my Mewters. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I do appreciate it. I’m sorry I let you down so much through the years. I’m sorry what I tried to do for us just made it worse."

Later in the message, Jones wrote, "Yes, I went with them, setting up my own Greek funeral pyre. A la, Darth Vader," which McDonald said indicated that Jones intended to kill himself the night of Aug. 4.

“Convict him, but don't convict him of premeditated murder or felony murder, because his mind was not thinking clearly that night, based off the evidence and that note that you saw," McDonald said.

McDonald also made an argument that Jason’s wife, Carrie, killed their neighbor Michele Ebeling, and that he should not face any charges for her death.

The jury is now deliberating the case, and a decision is expected later this week.