Those who understood the family of four’s journey with mental illness have shared tributes filled with love and compassion.

A quiet community in Dawson County, Nebraska, is reeling after four members of the same family were found dead in what authorities believe was a murder-suicide.

The Nebraska State Patrol is leading an investigation into the deaths of a family of four discovered inside their home near Johnson Lake on the morning of May 10. Authorities believe the tragedy involved a father fatally attacking his wife and two teenage sons before taking his own life.

Deputies from the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched around 9:45 a.m. to a residence at Plum Creek Canyon #1, where they discovered the bodies of Jeremy Koch, 42, Bailey Koch, 41, and their sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16. All four were residents of the home and were found with fatal knife wounds. A knife was recovered at the scene.

Preliminary findings suggest that Jeremy carried out the killings before dying by suicide. Autopsies have been ordered by the Dawson County Attorney to further determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Multiple agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue, and the Dawson County Attorney’s Office, responded to the incident.

Authorities have not released additional details about what may have led to the incident but emphasized the wide impact the tragedy will have across several communities. The investigation is ongoing.

Over the years, Jeremy endured several suicide attempts, and together, he and Bailey spoke openly about the difficult road they were walking. That openness fueled Bailey’s determination to advocate for mental health. The cherished friend, gifted writer, and tireless mental health advocate was a longtime contributor to “Her View From Home.”

She also started a Facebook page called “Anchoring Hope for Mental Health” to give her passion a voice. The last post she shared on the page was about the progress in Jeremy’s treatment journey, noting that paperwork for TMS therapy was being submitted.

The two had spent over an hour recounting their 16-year path marked by highs and lows, failed attempts, fear, and small victories. They felt seen and supported, and believed that seeking TMS care in Kearney was the right next step.

Bailey asked others to join them in prayer that insurance would approve the treatment swiftly so they could move forward.

On Her View From Home, Bailey wrote with striking honesty about battling the stigma surrounding mental health and what it looked like to face it head-on and fight for something better.

She used her voice to shed light on the often unseen emotional toll of mental illness, revealing both the heartbreak it brings and the resilience it demands. The mother of two encouraged others to look beyond surface-level judgments and recognize the complexity of mental health struggles.

Through her writing, she offered an unvarnished view of what it meant to keep fighting for wellness, not just through clinical support, but by telling the hard truths no one else would say out loud. For Bailey, real change began when stigma was replaced with honesty and empathy.

This belief pushed her to share her family’s journey again and again, not for attention, but to reach others walking the same difficult path.

In addition to pouring herself into mental health awareness and her vibrant family life, Bailey earned a doctorate in special education and left a mark as an innovative and passionate educator. She has been described as a person who trusted God and his plan, gave the best hugs and never let silence win.

Her words on mental health, perseverance, and faith will remain part of her lasting legacy. To her, mental illness will never win as hope will prevail. Through “Anchoring Hope for Mental Health,” she created a space where silence was broken and difficult truths were welcomed.

Her openness about Jeremy’s long-standing battle with suicidal ideation, hospitalizations, and treatment decisions allowed others to feel less alone.

Bailey is said to have understood that mental illness affects every part of a person’s life, faith, marriage, parenting, work, and that confronting it required more than platitudes. It demanded vulnerability, compassion, and real connection.

The mental health advocate wasn’t afraid to show the messiness of it all. Her honesty helped countless others find courage to face their own struggles or support those they loved.

Though her loss and that of Jeremy, Hudson, and Asher has left a deep wound, the impact of her life’s work remains. Furthermore, those who found hope in her words and comfort in her community carry that light forward.

People have reflected on her dedication to mental health, with one of them being her heartbroken parent, Lane Peg Kugler. Lane was the one who discovered the unthinkable, his daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons had all died inside their Johnson Lake home. The scene, he said, will haunt him the rest of his life.

In a deeply personal reflection shared on social media, Lane explained that Jeremy had been battling severe mental illness had worsened over the years, evolving from depression into what he described as psychosis. “It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind,” said Lane.

Bailey’s dad shared that she and her sons often lived with the uncertainty of how Jeremy would be on any given day. They were fearful and unsure whether Jeremy would be spiraling into a manic state or sinking into a crushing depression.

Faith played a central role in their lives. Lane noted that their shared belief in God often helped them weather the most difficult periods. In the face of profound loss, the family has drawn comfort from that faith, believing that Bailey, Jeremy, Hudson, and Asher are now “together,” and that “Jeremy’s sickness is gone.”

Just days before the tragedy, Lane recalled sharing one last heart-to-heart with Bailey. They talked about the financial challenges they were facing, how Jeremy’s inability to work had put strain on the household, and how overwhelmed she felt by the generosity of those who had helped through a GoFundMe campaign.

Bailey also spoke about the unseen impact of her writing. “Oh Dad, you don’t see the private conversations on Facebook messenger I have with literally hundreds of people. People I don’t know and they don’t know me. They read what I write and they reach out. It’s just that they need help and I am able to help them. I think I have saved some people’s lives,” she told Lane.

That is how Bailey will be remembered, giving, empathetic, and committed to using her story to help others find hope. She may have saved lives, her father reflected, but she couldn’t save her own family.

Even so, Lane hopes her work will carry on, that people will take action, extend compassion, and continue the mission Bailey held so close. She believed in making a difference, in helping others hold on, and in never giving up.

Jenna Clark, a close friend of Bailey’s has also paid tribute to her. She recalled how they had planned to celebrate their sons’ graduation together that weekend, just like they had marked so many milestones over the years.

She remembered vividly the call when Bailey shared she was expecting her first child, and how thrilled she had been to become a mother. It was one of many special moments they experienced side by side.

“She would have had a beautiful post wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day today. She always had a beautiful way with words and today I’m at a loss,” penned Jenna.

Still, Jenna urged others to honor Bailey’s legacy not with hate or judgment, but with the same compassion and understanding Bailey had shown throughout her life. She called on people to spread love, just as Bailey did, especially when facing pain they may not fully understand.

In another heartbreaking case, 17-year-old Neo Secaira lost his life last month in Bayside, Queens, in what authorities identified as a murder-suicide involving 28-year-old U.S. Marine Frank Liu. The tragic events, which police say stemmed from a complicated relationship involving a young woman, left a mother reeling and a community shaken.

On April 12, shortly after 10 p.m., law enforcement officers answered an emergency 911 call regarding an ongoing assault close to the intersection of Oceania Street and 48th Avenue.

Upon arrival, they discovered Neo with a chest wound from a gunshot and Frank, aged 28, with a gunshot wound to the head. They were taken to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where medical professionals confirmed their deaths.

Authorities believe the fatal shooting was the result of a jealous outburst tied to a love triangle. According to law enforcement sources, both men were involved with a 19-year-old woman who was present when the violence occurred. She had recently broken up with Frank and was seeing Neo, which reportedly enraged the Marine.

Neo had left work early after the woman called asking him to pick her up. His mother, Yolanda Secaira, said her son’s employer informed her that the call had prompted him to leave. She never expected it would be the last time he left his job.

Yolanda learned of her son’s death in a jarring way: from the mother of the man who allegedly killed him. “At 7:50 this morning, a woman rings my bell,” she recalled. “She asked me, she said, ‘Your son has curly hair?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She said my son killed your son. I said, ‘What? Your son killed my son?’ She said yes.”

“It’s a horrible story, and then she pointed to my husband and she turned and left,” the heartbroken mother added.

Frank’s father, Huili Liu, described his son as deeply troubled. The Marine had reportedly been undergoing psychological treatment after serving overseas, where several of his comrades had died. “The pressure of being called up and this, together, it was too much,” said Huili.

Frank and the 19-year-old woman met while he was stationed in North Carolina. She later moved to New York, where she dated both men. A building superintendent familiar with Frank recalled previous erratic behavior, stating the young man often acted out in anger and confusion.

Neighbor Jennie Kim described hearing multiple gunshots that night, followed by a woman screaming for help. She said she and her daughter looked out and saw a distressed young woman near the scene.

Neo’s loved ones have laid him to rest after a visitation that was held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. His final resting place is St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst.

Furthermore, his memory continues to be honored through an outpouring of love on his tribute wall. Emma Sioson wrote, “You will always be a special memory.. I love you with all my heart [sic].”

Others echoed the sentiment. Cesar Cabrera, Sean Margraf, and Bianca Suwara shared, “Neo you’re no longer with us but the memories we shared will last forever [sic]. You will always live on in our hearts. Sending our prayers to your family.”

David Bermejo expressed grief over the loss, remembering their time at the Boy’s Club and offering condolences to Neo’s brother. Hadia Saleh recalled how Neo had a gift for brightening any conversation, even though they didn’t speak often.

Ms. Maharajh, a teacher, remembered Neo as respectful and kind, noting how he chose to attend her French class and participate despite not being enrolled. “He was a kind, polite and respectful and a real gem among all students,” she wrote. “Gone too soon! We will all miss you, Neo!”