Suspects In Verdigre Manhunt Captured Saturday

Two juveniles, who allegedly led law enforcement on a manhunt near Verdigre, were taken into custody Saturday.

According to the Knox County Sheriff's Office, a search along the Verdigre Creek by law enforcement agencies from Verdigre Police, Knox County Sheriffs Office and Nebraska State Patrol ended with law enforcement taking two juveniles — one 15-year-old male from South Dakota and one 16-year-old female from rural Niobrara — into custody along the banks of the Verdigre creek. The suspects were treated by the Verdigre Rescue Squad for dehydration and cuts and bruises.

According to the Sheriff's Department, at about 6:45 a.m. on Friday a member of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office found a 2007 Ford car licensed in Yankton County, South Dakota parked in the middle of the Spur 54D just north of Highway 12. It was determined to have been stolen from Yankton County, South Dakota. Shorty thereafter it was discovered a white Dodge Pickup was stolen from a nearby residence. While the officer was still there the stolen Dodge pickup returned and sped west on Highway 12 toward Niobrara. 


The officer followed the vehicle though Niobrara and south on Highway 14 toward Verdigre, Nebraska. The Verdigre Police Department and the Sheriffs Office attempted to stop the vehicle which drove around Verdigre before going south on county road 521 Drive.

The vehicle went around county barricades and warning signs of the “Walton” bridge being washed out and drove until the road ended and into a pasture at which time two people jumped out and ran on foot. 

Because of the large tree covered, severe terrain and lack of roads, a Nebraska State Patrol helicopter and canine units were brought in as well as additional manpower from The Nebraska Game and Parks, Nebraska State Patrol, Antelope County Sheriffs Office, along with some citizens to assist the Local law enforcement agencies. 

The search was unable to locate the suspects and was continued by the local agencies until about 10:00 PM that night. 

On Saturday morning, the search was continued by the Knox County Sheriffs Office and the Verdigre Police Department. 

Based on an investigation with in cooperation with the Yankton Police Department and the Santee Sioux Nation Tribal Police, two suspects were developed by the local agencies.

Mid morning an ATV was reported stolen in the general area and contact with the suspects was made south of Verdigre by a citizen who called law enforcement and the suspects were contained along the Verdigre Creek by the local agencies while more manpower was brought back in, according to the sheriff's department.

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