In the quiet early hours of March 9, 2023, the life of Todd Scherer, a 62-year-old Caucasian male, came to a brutal and untimely end in a tack room at Fonner Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. A well-known and respected figure in the horse racing community, Scherer had only just arrived at the track that day, ready to immerse himself in the world he was so passionate about.
He was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and a severe head injury, the grim results of a planned and violent attack.
The investigation into Scherer's death quickly led to the arrest of 20-year-old Logan Hunts Horse from Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Hunts Horse was discovered asleep in another tack room within the same barn where Scherer's body was found. The subsequent investigation revealed a chilling sequence of events. Hunts Horse had followed Scherer into his tack room and shot him once in the stomach. He then left the scene, only to return hours later with accomplices. Finding Scherer still alive, Hunts Horse proceeded to beat him with a baseball bat.
Two other individuals were implicated in the crime. A 16-year-old, Austin Kelly of Grand Island, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and accessory to murder. It was revealed that after the brutal assault, Kelly took Scherer's wallet, which contained $800. Another accomplice, Lane Harris, also faced charges related to his involvement. Surveillance footage captured both Kelly and Harris with Hunts Horse before and after the murder.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of justice for Todd Scherer. Logan Hunts Horse pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and the use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence of 88 to 134 years. Austin Kelly received a sentence of 18 to 38 years for his role in the robbery and murder. Lane Harris was sentenced to 90 days in jail and four years of probation. The tragic death of Todd Scherer also led to a lawsuit filed by his estate against Fonner Park and its security, alleging negligence and unsafe conditions at the facility.
