Today, in the District Court for Lincoln County, Nebraska, Emerson Craig, age 62, pled guilty to 2nd Degree Murder, a Class 1B Felony.

On April 26, 2014, Craig called 911 alleging that he found his wife in a Quonset and that a hay bale a fallen on her and killed her. Emerson Craig stated that he tried to pull the hay bale off his wife by using his truck. Upon the arrival of law enforcement and following their subsequent investigation, it was determined that the scene had been staged. An autopsy indicated that the victim did not die in the manner as reported by Craig, but rather as a result of manual strangulation. Further, a forensic engineer reviewed the investigation and concluded that the accident could not have occurred as reported.

Finally it was discovered that Craig had obtained a life insurance policy on his wife that would pay double if her death was the result of an accident. He was the sole beneficiary of the policy.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office investigated this case. Attorney General Investigator Bill Black and Assistant Attorneys General Doug Warner and Corey O’Brien handled the prosecution on behalf of the State. Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling assisted in prosecution.

Sentencing has been set for February 27th at 1 pm in North Platte.