In the quiet town of Sutherland, Nebraska, on October 18, 1975, a horrific chain of events unfolded, forever marking the community and the lives of the Kellie family. James Henry Kellie, a 66-year-old White male, became one of the victims in a brutal slaying that claimed the lives of six family members. The day had been unremarkable, with the man responsible, Erwin Charles Simants, spending the afternoon drinking with family and friends at local bars.
As evening descended, Simants, who
lived next door to the Kellie residence, was dropped off at his sister's home around 8 p.m. Not long after, he armed himself with a. 22-caliber rifle from his brother-in-law's room and proceeded to the Kellie's house. Inside, he first encountered 10-year-old Florance Marie Kellie and attempted to sexually assault her. Her screams alerted her grandfather, James Henry Kellie, who rushed to her aid. As he approached, Simants shot him and then dragged his body into a bedroom.
The violence did not end there. Simants went on to kill Florance, her grandmother Audrey Marie Kellie, their son David Leroy Kellie, and David's two young children, Daniel and Deanna. All six members of the Kellie family died from gunshot wounds. After the killings, Simants returned to his sister's house, unloaded the rifle, and confessed to his nephew what he had done. He then informed his parents, and his father went to the Kellie home to discover the tragic scene, prompting a call to the authorities.
Simants was arrested the following morning after attempting to re-enter his sister's home. He was charged with six counts of first-degree murder. His initial trial resulted in a guilty verdict and a death sentence. However, this conviction was overturned by the Nebraska Supreme Court in 1979 due to an instance of jury tampering where the sheriff had played cards with sequestered jurors. In his subsequent retrial, Erwin Charles Simants was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was then committed to a state psychiatric hospital, where he remained for the rest of his life. He died in a Lincoln hospital in September 2023 at the age of 77.
