A robbery attempt at a rest stop in Nebraska ended tragically when a 72-year-old man was killed and his 71-year-old wife was critically injured by a knife-wielding attacker.
Gary and Mary Weaver from Eureka, Missouri, were traveling in their mobile home and stopped at the rest area on Interstate 80 around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies found the couple with multiple stab wounds when they arrived at the scene. Gary Weaver died from his injuries at Grand Island Regional Hospital, and an autopsy has been ordered. His wife remains in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, 22-year-old James Thompson Jr. from Elyria, Ohio, fled the scene but was caught shortly after by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Troopers attempted to stop a vehicle matching the suspect’s description and chased it at speeds up to 120 mph before it exited the interstate and ended up in the Platte River. A police dog found the suspect about 30 minutes later.
Thompson was taken to the Hall County Jail and faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and robbery.
The Nebraska State Patrol praised the teamwork of the troopers and deputies for quickly finding and arresting the suspect, expressing sympathy for the victims and their family in a social media post.