A Nebraska father stabbed his entire family to death before committing suicide on the same day as his oldest son’s high school graduation, just three days after being released from a mental health facility, according to authorities.
Jeremy Koch, 42, killed his 41-year-old wife, Bailey, and sons Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, in a sickening stabbing spree Saturday before killing himself in a rural area of Dawson County, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.
Bailey’s parents discovered the gruesome scene of the apparent murder-suicide at about 9:45 a.m. Police reported that all four family members died as a result of knife wounds.
“I found our two grandsons, Hudson 18 and Asher 16, as well as our daughter Bailey and son-in-law Jeremy, dead laying in their beds,” Lane and Peggy Kugler, Bailey’s father and mother and grandparents of the two boys, said in a Facebook post, according to News Channel Nebraska.
“What I saw will haunt me the rest of my life.”
The tragedy comes after Jeremy’s long battle with depression and suicidal ideation, which Bailey, a teacher, documented on a dedicated Facebook page.
She posted on the “Anchoring Hope for Mental Health” page on Wednesday that Jeremy had completed a five-day stay in a hospital for mental health care, along with a photo of the couple smiling in a car.
“What a difference five days, some hydration and nutrition, med adjustments, therapies, and a safety plan can make!!!” Bailey Koch wrote with an eerie tone.
“Thank you for your prayers and unwavering support as I take Hottie Hubby HOME in time for our son’s high school graduation! We still need a lot of prayers as we try to get on with life and find our new ‘normal.'”
Despite this, the father of two struggled in the days preceding the suspected murder-suicide, according to his wife’s recent social media posts.
Hudson was scheduled to receive his diploma at Cozad High School’s graduation ceremony, which took place without him Saturday afternoon, just hours after the horrific slaughter.
“Cozad Schools was made aware of a tragic situation that will have a significant impact on the Cozad community,” the school district stated. “Our thoughts are with all those impacted during this incredibly difficult time.”
Holdrege Public Schools, where Bailey Koch worked, remembered her as a “passionate educator, caring colleague, and bright presence in the school community,” according to NTV.
Jeremy and Bailey were high school sweethearts who had been together for at least 25 years, according to their Facebook page.
Bailey said in a since-deleted GoFundMe page that her husband survived numerous suicide attempts this month, including a near-fatal car accident.
“When he awoke,” she wrote, according to News Channel Nebraska. “He was destroyed; his attempt had failed.”