Nebraska Family of Four Found Dead in Suspected Murder-Suicide on the Same Day of Son's High School Graduation

Front: Bailey and Hudson Koch. Back: Jeremy and Asher Koch

A family of four was found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in rural Dawson County, Nebraska, following years of reported mental health struggles endured by the father, according to authorities.

On Saturday, May 10, around 9:45 a.m., deputies from the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence at Johnson Lake in Plum Creek Canyon #1. Upon entry, law enforcement discovered the bodies of Bailey Koch, 41, her husband Jeremy Koch, 42, and their two sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16. The Nebraska State Patrol confirmed that all four died from stab wounds and that a knife believed to be the murder weapon was recovered at the scene.

Jeremy Koch and his family

Investigators believe Jeremy Koch fatally stabbed his wife and sons before taking his own life. The incident is being treated as a homicide-suicide, with autopsies ordered and the investigation still active.

The tragedy followed a long and painful struggle with mental illness, as detailed in a now-removed fundraiser titled “Jeremy’s Battle: Mental Health Support Needed,” launched days before the family’s deaths. In the fundraiser, Bailey described Jeremy’s years-long battle with severe depression, dating back to a 2009 diagnosis. Over the years, he survived at least four suicide attempts. One of the most severe incidents left him with multiple life-threatening injuries, including a broken leg, punctured lung, fractured pancreas, brain bleed, and complete colon reconstruction after driving a semi-truck onto a highway during a suicide attempt.

Bailey wrote that after years of stability, her husband's mental health sharply declined in mid-2023, leading him to stop working, which put additional pressure on their finances. Bailey, a special education teacher, supported the family financially while Jeremy remained bedridden, battling depression and refusing food and water. She described his decline as a slow suicide and said she had exhausted their savings, retirement accounts, and even began exploring the sale of their family landscaping business.

In March, Bailey recounted waking up to Jeremy standing over her with a knife, intending to harm himself. She managed to talk him down and convince him to seek help. He was hospitalized multiple times, underwent unsuccessful electroconvulsive therapy, and was denied ketamine treatments. As his condition worsened, Bailey remained hopeful, sharing a final update on Thursday, May 8, just two days before the incident. She said Jeremy was home but not responding well to new medications. A new hospital had offered an alternative treatment, and they planned to visit the facility on Friday.

Bailey described her family as “as vanilla as it gets” in her post — a working mother, a father running a landscaping company, and two teenage boys. Hudson, their oldest, was set to graduate high school and move to California for a prestigious three-year bonsai apprenticeship.

The fundraiser raised over $20,000 before being removed on Sunday afternoon. The reason for its removal remains unclear.

Autopsies have been scheduled for all four family members, and the investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol continues. The deaths have shaken the small rural community, where the family was known and respected.