Beatrice man ordered to district court arraignment in slaying of woman

BEATRICE – A 51-year-old Beatrice man has been bound over to district court, charged in the killing of a 52-year-old woman, September 8^th.

A preliminary hearing was held in Gage Court Court Wednesday for Christopher Milke.  Judge Jeff Gaertig ruled that probable cause was established for crimes allegedly committed by Milke.

Tammy Leslie was found dead in a bedroom of the couple’s Hillcrest Street home, early the morning of September 8^th.  Witness testimony during the preliminary hearing indicated she had been shot three times, in the head, neck and arm.

Milke was bound over to Gage County District Court on a second-degree murder charge, use of a firearm to commit a felony….and two counts of kidnapping.  During the preliminary hearing, Special Prosecutor Michael Jensen of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and Defense Attorney Tim Noerrlinger differed over whether the kidnapping counts should stand.  The disagreement involved the state definition of what constitutes kidnapping and the elements of abduction, restraint and terrorism.

Two children ages, 19 and 11, testifiers said, were prevented from leaving the home following the shooting death.  Beatrice Police broke through the front door of the home to aid their escape.  Moments later, police took Milke into custody.  Testimony indicated he was in possession of a handgun, but laid the weapon down on a half-wall in the home, prior to being arrested.

Police found Leslie’s body, crouched in a corner of the couple’s bedroom.  They recovered four shell casings from the room along with bullets fired that matched the weapon.

Two witnesses were called by the state……Beatrice Police Investigations Unit chief Erin Byrne, and Beatrice Police officer Tim Price.  Their testimony indicated that the 12-year-old was in the home upstairs at the time of the shooting, while the 19-year-old arrived after the shooting had occurred and was in the basement…on the phone with Beatrice Police dispatchers. Both allegedly were prevented from leaving the house and police said two doors to the home had been screwed shut. 

Milke is scheduled to be arraigned on the four felony counts, November 13^th in Gage County District Court. (8:30 a.m.)  He’s been held without bond in the Gage County Jail, since the incident.