A judge has set bail at $5 million for a man suspected of killing four people in the small northeast Nebraska town of Laurel last week. Court records show 42-year-old Jason Jones would have to put up 10% — or $500,000 — to be released from jail while he awaits trial on four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of arson and four weapons counts. Police say Jones killed his neighbor, 53-year-old Michele Ebeling, early Thursday morning then went to a nearby home and killed 86-year-old Gene Twiford; his wife, 85-year-old Janet Twiford; and their 55-year-old daughter, Dana Twiford. Police say Jones set fire to both houses, severely burning himself in the process. He remains hospitalized in a Lincoln burn unit.
Laurel Man Charged With Murder Of His Neighbors
![Barricades block off a portion of Elm Street in Laurel, Neb., Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a situation with multiple fatalities that occurred in Laurel on Thursday morning.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/27523c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2582x1452+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2022%2F08%2F04%2Fap22216729843714_wide-37df67afbe290fb37d855eeca2ec1869cfc59fb2.jpg)
Riley Tolan-Keig
/
The Norfolk Daily News via AP