Body of missing mom found on rural farm 18 months after suspicious disappearance

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) — The 18-month search for a missing mother in Nebraska came to an end Wednesday after her body was found on a rural farm, officials said.

Capt. Ben Miller with the Lincoln Police Department said 30-year-old Jerica Hamre’s body was found on a rural farm just north of Oxford.

A man inspecting the property in preparation for sale found her body in an outbuilding.

“Our heart breaks for Jerica’s family and friends who, for the last 18 months, have been searching for answers,” Miller said.

The Nebraska State Patrol said it was apparent Hamre had been dead for some time. An autopsy was conducted on Friday, and the remains were confirmed to be Hamre’s.

Miller said authorities are working with experts to narrow down an exact time frame for when she died.

Hamre’s death is being investigated as a homicide. Miller said a person of interest is in custody on unrelated charges and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Police will provide additional information once charges are filed against the person in custody.

Hamre was last seen on June 25, 2024, at her home in Lincoln. She was reported missing on July 3, 2024, and her disappearance was considered suspicious early in the investigation.

Information led investigators to a property near Overton in October 2024, and several agencies searched the area, but no evidence related to Hamre was found.

Private investigator Erik Rezabek with BRING ‘Em home Nebraska led another search in July after new information revealed her cell phone pinged in the Arapahoe area the night she disappeared. Volunteers searched a nearly 900-square-mile area of brush and trees.

In a statement to KOLN, Rezabek said, “Our deepest condolences are with Jerica’s family and loved ones. While this is not the outcome anyone hoped for, we hope that having answers may bring some measure of closure after a long and painful period of uncertainty.”

Hamre’s parents have been raising her daughters since her disappearance.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Lincoln Police Department at 402-441-6000. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600 or report online at lincolncrimestoppers.com.