Johnson County, Nebraska - On April 21, 2017, Patrick W. Schroeder, age 39, was charged in Johnson County with First Degree Murder and Use of a Deadly Weapon to Commit a Felony. 

These charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Nebraska State Patrol with assistance from the Nebraska Department of Corrections into the death of Terry L. Berry, age 22.

Berry and Schroeder were the only occupants in a cell at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute near Tecumseh, Nebraska.  On April 15, 2017, at approximately 7:37 p.m., corrections personnel were alerted to respond to the cell occupied by Schroeder and Berry.  Berry was unresponsive and transported to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He was placed on life support.  Berry was pronounced dead on April 20, 2017. 

An autopsy was conducted in Omaha, Nebraska on April 21, 2017.  The cause of death is asphyxia due to compression of the neck structures.  The manner of death is homicide.

The prosecution will be conducted by Johnson County Attorney Rick Smith, and prosecutors from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

Schroeder is expected to appear in Johnson County Court on May 3, 2017.