Category: Nebraska
How a Walmart employee helped rescue a woman who said her boyfriend strangled her multiple times that day
Nebraska law enforcement officers said a 47-year-old woman early last week informed them that her 31-year-old boyfriend had strangled her five to six times that day and had been preventing her from contacting authorities and leaving his presence.
It turns out the alleged victim was able to finally get the attention of police — with the help of a Walmart employee.
Barnhouse didn’t let her leave for the previous two days, as she was trying to get her belongings from the camper and return home to Kansas, officials added.
Gage County Sheriff’s deputies around 5:45 p.m. Oct. 28 responded to the Diamond T Truck Stop Camper Row on US HWY 77 just north of Beatrice for an assault that had occurred earlier in the day, the sheriff’s office said.
Image source: Gage County (Neb.) Sheriff’s Office
Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the 47-year-old woman from Hutchinson, Kansas, who told deputies that her boyfriend — 31-year-old Justis Barnhouse — had strangled her five to six times that afternoon, officials said.
Barnhouse took the woman’s cell phone so she couldn’t contact police about the incident, officials said. Barnhouse didn’t let her leave for the previous two days, as she was trying to get her belongings from the camper and return home to Kansas, officials added.
However, officials said that when the woman and Barnhouse went to the Walmart in Beatrice, she got the attention of a Walmart employee and asked the worker to follow her to the restroom.
The sheriff’s office said that allowed the woman to give the employee details about the strangulation — and the employee notified law enforcement.
When deputies arrived at the Diamond T Truck Stop Camper Row, officials said Barnhouse was there — and deputies arrested Barnhouse for assault by strangulation as well as third-degree domestic assault with two priors.
Barnhouse was lodged at the Gage County Detention Center on his charges, officials said. Jail records indicate Barnhouse was still behind bars Wednesday morning.
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Dan Osborn Campaign Staffer Called To Defund Police and Attended Anti-Cop Rally With Severed Pig Heads
Nebraska independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn, a self-described centrist, has pledged to “stand up” for police officers and to ensure the “safety and security of our communities.” One of Osborn’s first campaign hires has called to defund police departments and attended an anti-police rally in Omaha that featured severed pig heads.
The post Dan Osborn Campaign Staffer Called To Defund Police and Attended Anti-Cop Rally With Severed Pig Heads appeared first on .
Shocking texts allegedly reveal sinister plan by teacher and her boyfriend to groom, sex traffic her student
Shocking text messages allegedly have revealed a sinister plan by a Nebraska high school teacher and her boyfriend to groom and sex traffic her 16-year-old student.
Police said 36-year-old Elizabeth Jamie Love and her boyfriend, 42-year-old Jarid “Jack” Krause, were arrested Friday.
‘It’s a huge risk. We might not find the right girl for us.’
The Phelps County Attorney’s Office charged both suspects with one count of sex trafficking of a minor (a Class IB Felony). Love also was hit with a charge of sexual grooming by a school employee (a Class IV Felony).
If convicted, Love and Krause face up to life in prison and a lifetime on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.
Love and Krause were booked into the Phelps County Jail and held on bonds of $250,000 cash each, police stated.
Police noted that Love had been a transition coordinator and educator in the Educational Service Unit No. 11 for several years, during which she traveled to as many as 15 schools in the south-central part of Nebraska.
The Holdrege Police Department said in a statement, “The investigation into Ms. Love and Mr. Krause began after a current high school student, whom Ms. Love was instructing through her employment as a transition coordinator and teacher in ESU-11, reported inappropriate interactions with the couple over the past few weeks.”
Police said the investigation began Oct. 14 after reports of possible sex abuse of a 16-year-old student.
Authorities said Love communicated with the teen through text messages, Facebook Messenger, and non-school email addresses.
Citing the arrest affidavit, People magazine reported that the alleged victim is a girl who told investigators she and Love “developed a close relationship, which has evolved into talking about things going on in [her] life beyond the normal scope of a speech therapist/educator.”
The alleged victim said she had worked with Love since she was in seventh grade, according to the affidavit.
Court documents said the teen told investigators she considered moving into Love’s home in Holdrege on weekdays so she could attend a school in another district.
The student said she was in Love’s car in August when Love had a phone conversation with Krause, the affidavit stated.
During the phone call, Krause said he wanted to have sex with Love, and Love later told the student she “would be willing to share” Krause, according to the arrest affidavit.
The student said she was supposed to attend the state fair with Love that day, but the conversation made her so “uncomfortable” that she called her aunt to pick her up, court documents said.
During an alleged incident on Oct. 11, Love picked up the teen from her home and took her to Love’s house, court documents said.
People magazine reported, “The student alleged that while she was there, Krause led her to an upstairs bedroom and made a request she believed was for sex.”
‘We’ll find the girl that appreciates us for what we are and provide. Someone who sees the value of our family and one that loves us both more than anything.’
The outlet added that the alleged victim declined Krause’s advances and asked to leave.
The affidavit said the student left the house and began walking home until Love picked up the teen in a car and drove the alleged victim home.
Nebraska-TV reported, “The affidavit said the girl told investigators Love apologized to her, told her not to tell anyone, and gave her $100 in $20 increments.”
When police later interviewed Love, the educator insisted the payments were not intended as “hush money” but rather a gift to help the girl purchase a new cell phone, according to court documents.
Citing text messages revealed in the affidavit, People magazine reported that Love and Krause “spoke about the student as early as April, before seemingly planning to proposition the student for sex in August” and to determine “if she’s not feeling it.”
The affidavit also said the couple discussed developing a “code phrase” to use that would “help [Love] know if she’s interested or not.”
Another text message revealed in the affidavit indicated Love told Krause she hoped the proposition “works out” and added that “if she doesn’t want to, then I’ll keep looking.”
Krause messaged Love about “[finding] our person,” according to the affidavit.
“We’ll find the girl that appreciates us for what we are and provide. Someone who sees the value of our family and one that loves us both more than anything,” Krause wrote to Love, according to court documents.
The affidavit claimed Love then asked Krause if they should “start the paperwork for foster care.”
According to court documents, Krause replied, “Do you think it’s time for that? It’s a huge risk. We might not find the right girl for us.”
The arrest affidavit said Love responded, “I know. But I also don’t have to take them all. Even though I want to. Haha.”
ESU-11 administrator John Poppert told Blaze News that Love was placed on administrative leave “as soon as the ESU learned of the allegations.”
“The ESU has cooperated fully with the Holdrege Police Department investigation,” Poppert noted. “The administration also contacted the ESU’s attorney. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement, and we thank them for their efforts in this matter.”
During the investigation, the Holdrege Police Department received assistance from the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Kearney Police Department, Minden Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Nebraska Department of Justice.
Police said investigators have yet to find any evidence that Love had inappropriate interactions with other current or former students.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Holdrege Police Department at 308-995-4407.
The Holdrege Police Department and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.
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Police Charge Teacher, Boyfriend For Allegedly Grooming And Trafficking 16-Year-Old Student
The student allegedly received ‘hush money’
