Before killing himself, 42-year-old Jeremy Koch is suspected of fatally stabbing his wife, Bailey, 41, and their sons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, in Dawson County, Nebraska, on May 10. The tragedy happened on Hudson’s high school graduation day.

At the scene, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office found a knife and four bodies. In his remarks at the Cozad graduation ceremony, Superintendent Dan Endorf described the loss as “bittersweet.”

The state of mental health care in the United States caused Bailey’s parents to express their heartbreak and frustration. Koch reportedly attempted suicide several times and battled mental illness since 2009. Bailey had made their journey public in an effort to increase awareness and lessen stigma.

Koch’s condition deteriorated in 2024, she disclosed, and she recounted a terrifying incident in March when he stood over her brandishing a knife. The Nebraska State Patrol is still looking into the matter. There have been orders for autopsies.