72-year-old husband killed, wife injured during knife attack at rest stop, NE cops say
A man wielding a knife at a rest stop attacked a Missouri couple traveling through Nebraska in their mobile home, authorities said.
Deputies responded around 7 a.m. on June 19 to a report of a disturbance at a rest area along Interstate 80 where they found two victims with stab wounds, according to a news release from the Hall County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities said they believe the incident began as an attempted robbery.
The victims, identified as 72-year-old Gary Weaver and his 71-year-old wife, both of Eureka, Missouri, were taken to Grand Island Regional Hospital, authorities said.
Gary Weaver was pronounced dead at the hospital, and his wife was listed in critical condition, according to the sheriff’s department.
Authorities said 22-year-old James Thompson, Jr. of Elyria, Ohio, is the only suspect.
McClatchy News was unable to locate attorney information for Thompson.
Thompson fled the scene in a vehicle and was taken into custody by Nebraska State Patrol, the department said.
He was arrested on numerous charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and robbery.
Thompson is currently being held at Hall County Jail.
The couple was married for 46 years, their daughter told KSDK.
She remembered her dad as an “incredible father and grandpa,” the station reported.
This story was originally published June 20, 2024 at 5:46 PM with the headline "72-year-old husband killed, wife injured during knife attack at rest stop, NE cops say."
