A young man from Ogallala, Nebraska, has been sentenced to a long time in prison for shooting and killing another man last year.
Earlier this month, 21-year-old Chet Stenzel was given a prison sentence of 49 to 62 years after being convicted of manslaughter, using a firearm to commit a felony, and making terroristic threats.
Stenzel had originally been facing a second-degree murder charge, but in November, he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea deal. This agreement led to the murder charge being reduced and some additional charges being dropped.
The tragic incident happened in April 2023 at a home on the 400 block of West Sixth Street in Ogallala. When police arrived, they found 26-year-old Jeremiah Van Linda lying unconscious with two gunshot wounds in his torso. Despite efforts from emergency responders, he did not survive.
According to witnesses, Stenzel fired the shots that killed Van Linda and then threatened a woman who was there at the time. When officers searched the home, they found Stenzel hiding in the basement and took him into custody. Later, they discovered a semi-automatic rifle in his bedroom, which authorities believe was the weapon used in the shooting.
Now, with his lengthy prison sentence, Stenzel will be behind bars for many years, while the family and friends of Van Linda continue to mourn their loss.
