THE DARK SIDE OF NEBRASKA
Richard Ellen
#43692
photo courtesy NDCS
Full Name: Richard Edward Ellen
DOB: October 24, 1951
Charge: 2nd degree murder
County: Madison
City: Madison
Current Status: Deceased
Date of Crime: July 19, 1989
Victim: Lonnie Edwards
DOB: October 24, 1951
Charge: 2nd degree murder
County: Madison
City: Madison
Current Status: Deceased
Date of Crime: July 19, 1989
Victim: Lonnie Edwards
The events leading to the murder of Lonnie Edwards took place on the evening of July 18, 1989, in Madison, Nebraska. On that night, Richard Ellen and several other employees of Mid-American Carnival went into the city of Madison, visiting several bars.
At one of these establishments, the group encountered other workers from the carnival, including Charlie Tidwell and Lonnie Edwards. Lonnie offered Richard Ellen and his friends a pitcher of beer, which Richard refused. Lonnie persisted in his offer, as did Richard in his refusal, which led to an argument in which Richard told Lonnie to sit down and quit bothering him.
Later that evening, Lonnie approached Richard's wife and asked her to dance. When she refused, Lonnie insulted her, using an obscenity. Prior to leaving the bar for the evening, Richard made a comment to Charlie Tidwell about killing a "nigger", evidently in reference to Lonnie.
On the way home, Richard further remarked that he should hit Lonnie "in the head and throw him in the river to get rid of him." After returning to the carnival encampment, Richard, Charlie, and a number of others continued to drink at Richard's trailer.
Following further discussion, Richard decided to confront Lonnie. He left his trailer, picked up an ax or mallet handle which he used as part of his carnival exhibit, and walked to a nearby bridge where he saw Lonnie. Richard approached Lonnie, whereupon an argument ensued concerning the incidents which had taken place earlier that evening. Richard hit Lonnie two or three times with the handle, apparently breaking Lonnie's arm. Charlie may have also struck Lonnie with the handle at this time. Either Richard or Charlie discarded the handle, and both returned to Richard's trailer.
Arriving at the trailer, Richard and Charlie removed their bloodied shirts, put them in a bag, and gave the bag to Richard's stepdaughter to discard. When the stepdaughter returned from disposing the clothing, she informed Richard that Lonnie was in the trailer compound telling others that Richard had broken his arm.
After hearing the stepdaughter's story, Richard and Charlie went outside where they located Lonnie and either one or both of them began assaulting him by striking him with their fists. At this point, it was approximately 3 AM on July 19th. Lonnie was then, either by force or persuasion, placed in a truck by Richard and Charlie, on the pretense that they would take him to the hospital.
Driving with the truck's lights off, Richard proceeded a short distance on a paved road and then turned onto a field access road. Richard and Charlie then pulled Lonnie out of the truck. After dragging him down a hill, either Richard or Charlie proceeded to strike Lonnie in the head with a 4' long metal bar, bludgeoning him to death.
The autopsy showed that Lonnie sustained intense and severe blows to the head several of which penetrated his brain and one of which cut halfway through his brain stem.
At one of these establishments, the group encountered other workers from the carnival, including Charlie Tidwell and Lonnie Edwards. Lonnie offered Richard Ellen and his friends a pitcher of beer, which Richard refused. Lonnie persisted in his offer, as did Richard in his refusal, which led to an argument in which Richard told Lonnie to sit down and quit bothering him.
Later that evening, Lonnie approached Richard's wife and asked her to dance. When she refused, Lonnie insulted her, using an obscenity. Prior to leaving the bar for the evening, Richard made a comment to Charlie Tidwell about killing a "nigger", evidently in reference to Lonnie.
On the way home, Richard further remarked that he should hit Lonnie "in the head and throw him in the river to get rid of him." After returning to the carnival encampment, Richard, Charlie, and a number of others continued to drink at Richard's trailer.
Following further discussion, Richard decided to confront Lonnie. He left his trailer, picked up an ax or mallet handle which he used as part of his carnival exhibit, and walked to a nearby bridge where he saw Lonnie. Richard approached Lonnie, whereupon an argument ensued concerning the incidents which had taken place earlier that evening. Richard hit Lonnie two or three times with the handle, apparently breaking Lonnie's arm. Charlie may have also struck Lonnie with the handle at this time. Either Richard or Charlie discarded the handle, and both returned to Richard's trailer.
Arriving at the trailer, Richard and Charlie removed their bloodied shirts, put them in a bag, and gave the bag to Richard's stepdaughter to discard. When the stepdaughter returned from disposing the clothing, she informed Richard that Lonnie was in the trailer compound telling others that Richard had broken his arm.
After hearing the stepdaughter's story, Richard and Charlie went outside where they located Lonnie and either one or both of them began assaulting him by striking him with their fists. At this point, it was approximately 3 AM on July 19th. Lonnie was then, either by force or persuasion, placed in a truck by Richard and Charlie, on the pretense that they would take him to the hospital.
Driving with the truck's lights off, Richard proceeded a short distance on a paved road and then turned onto a field access road. Richard and Charlie then pulled Lonnie out of the truck. After dragging him down a hill, either Richard or Charlie proceeded to strike Lonnie in the head with a 4' long metal bar, bludgeoning him to death.
The autopsy showed that Lonnie sustained intense and severe blows to the head several of which penetrated his brain and one of which cut halfway through his brain stem.
Source: Justia US Law
