Douglas County authorities: Investigations of found bodies, remains not connected

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Two bodies and the remains of a third have all been found over the last seven months along Rainwood Road in northern Douglas County.

With what’s known right now: The three reports have little in common beyond a cross street.

Monday afternoon, a man walking his dog saw something off the side of Rainwood Road, just east of 66th Street, where the road crosses Mill Creek. The Douglas County Sheriff was on the scene within the hour.

“There are suspicious circumstances,” Sheriff Aaron Hansen said. “We’re not clear on the gender or race or age of this individual.”

Results of an autopsy performed Tuesday have not been released to provide those details.

Less than a mile away, on Sunday, Aug. 7, a passerby reported a body to the sheriff’s office on the side of Rainwood near 75th. Days later, the body was identified as 46-year-old Freddy Nedd. No arrests have been made in that case.

And just last week, Rainwood Road was again the scene of remains found, described by investigators only as “skeletonized body remains,” near 216th Street.

One cross street, three deaths — under unusual circumstances, but worlds apart.

The geography pits the two homicides east of Lake Cunningham near some of the county’s most prominent ranches. To get to the unknown remains, you’d have to drive around the lake -- some 16 miles of country roads.

Investigators say they don’t see a connection.

We’re still waiting on the results of a forensic investigation into those skeletal remains, found by some children playing in a field, off 216th Street last week -- 216th, not Rainwood, according to neighbors.

A mile or so from that scene, many in the Ponderosa’s Taco Tuesday crowd dismissed ideas of any connection -- but not all.

“For it all to be happening on Rainwood Road, it’s scary to think about it. How can it not be related?”

Capt. Eric Sellers of the county’s criminal investigations bureau said in a statement there’s no evidence to suggest the cases are related.

If you know anything about any of the cases, you’re asked to contact Douglas County Crime Stoppers at (402) 444-6000.

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