A three-judge sentencing panel will decide the fate Jason A. Jones, who was convicted last month of a quadruple homicide in Laurel.
A press release stated presiding Judge Brian Meismer requested the Chief Justice appoint two judges as panel members, in accordance with Nebraska statute. The judges, Patrick M. Heng and Timothy P. Burns, were randomly selected from a statewide list of judges. Meismer will serve as the presiding judge.
The panel of judges will determine whether Jones joins 11 other inmates on Nebraska’s death row. Generally, hearings of the three-judge panels occur in the same location as the original trial.
In late September a Dakota County jury convicted Jones of four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree arson, and four counts of the use of a firearm to commit a felony after more than five hours of deliberation.
Evidence from the trial showed that Jones shot and killed Gene, Janet and Dana Twiford, as well as Michele Ebeling the night of Aug. 4, 2022. He also burned their homes using Molotov cocktails and gasoline.
Jones’ wife Carrie has also been arrested on murder charges for her involvement in the incident. Her trial will be at a later date.
The convictions followed two weeks of testimony, including DNA and video evidence showing Jones purchasing supplies found at the crime scene.
Days after the trial, the court held an aggravation hearing to determine whether Jones is eligible for the death penalty. After 45 minutes of deliberation, the jury found that all six aggravating circumstances were proven, justifying the use of the death penalty.