In the early hours of April 7, 2026, the community of Osceola, Nebraska, lost a beloved member. Brian Patrick Gabel, a 44-year-old local business owner and father of three, was found deceased at his place of business south of Shelby. His death was not an accident but the first act in a violent series of events that would end in another's death. The man identified as the suspect was 40-year-old Wesley Absher.
Investigators pieced together a grim timeline that began when Absher traveled to Gabel's business. There, he shot and killed Brian Gabel. A woman, who was later identified as Absher's estranged wife, was present at the scene. After killing Gabel, Absher kidnapped the woman, forcing her into a vehicle and taking her to a separate rural location near County Road S and 129th Road. At this second location, he assaulted her before turning the gun on himself.
The violent ordeal came to the attention of authorities at approximately 1:30 a.m. when the female victim managed to escape. She drove herself to the Polk County Sheriff's Office in Osceola and reported the shooting and her abduction. Deputies immediately responded, calling in the Nebraska State Patrol for assistance. They secured two separate crime scenes: Gabel's business, where he was found dead, and the farm property where the assault occurred. Absher was discovered at the second location with what was believed to be a self-inflicted, life-threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to Bryan Health West Campus in Lincoln for treatment. The female victim was taken to Columbus Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation soon revealed a troubled history for Wesley Absher. Just days before the murder, on April 3, he had been released from jail after posting bond. He had been arrested on February 8 and faced felony charges for domestic assault, terroristic threats, and using a firearm to commit a felony against his wife, with whom he was going through a divorce. He had pleaded no contest to the assault and threats charges on April 1, and the firearms charges were dismissed. He was awaiting a sentencing scheduled for June. On April 9, 2026, two days after the attack, Wesley Absher died from his injuries at the hospital, bringing a tragic end to the investigation.
