On the evening of October 18, 1975, a Sutherland, Nebraska household was the scene of a mass killing that left six members of the Kellie family dead. Victims included 32-year-old David LeRoy Kellie, his wife Audrey Marie Matson Kellie, two young children Daniel Leroy (age five) and Deanna Lynn (age six), David’s 66-year-old father James Henry Kellie, and his 10-year-old sister Florence Marie Kellie. The attacker was a next-door neighbor, 33-year-old Erwin Charles Simants, who had spent the day drinking, went to his sister’s home, retrieved a .22-caliber rifle and entered the Kellie residence, shooting the family over several hours.

After the killings Simants returned to his sister’s home, left a note apologizing and saying it was the best way out, and told family members what he had done; his father discovered the bodies at the Kellie home. Simants was arrested on October 19, 1975 and charged with six counts of first-degree murder. Did anyone in the Sutherland area have contact with the Kellies or Simants around that time who can add details about what led up to this tragedy?