The Chadron Police Department investigated 2 separate incidents this past week.
At approximately 2:19 AM on October 28, 2021, the Chadron Police Department received a 911 call from a woman requesting officers to respond to an apartment complex in Chadron. Upon arrival, officers discovered a man in the apartment who had been severely beaten with life threatening injuries. Officers ensured the male remained conscious and called for a Chadron rescue unit to arrive and transport the injured male. The Chadron Fire Department arrived on scene and the injured male was transported to the Chadron Community Hospital and was later transported by air to Regional West Hospital in Scottsbluff due to the extent of his injuries. Officers were able to interview witnesses who reported 27-year-old Shawne Russell of Chadron had assaulted the man and proceeded to steal the injured man’s vehicle.
Over the next 6 hours, officers searched for Russell and for the reported stolen vehicle. Chadron Police officers located the stolen vehicle shortly after the initial call, abandoned in Wilson Park. The vehicle was secured and towed to the Chadron Police Department, where through a search warrant, it was processed for evidence related to the assault and the theft.
A search warrant was also obtained for the apartment where the injured male had been located. During this search warrant, items related to the assault were seized, including photographs and DNA evidence. As the investigation continued, it was learned two firearms had been stolen from the injured male during the assault. The firearms were located at an abandoned residence in Chadron and were taken into evidence.
Chadron Police officers and officers of the Nebraska State Patrol were able to locate Russell inside a private residence in Chadron and he was arrested without incident. A search warrant was obtained for the person of Russell and items seized included clothing and photographic evidence.
Russell was transported to the Dawes County Jail and lodged. Charges for Russell included: First Degree Assault (Class II Felony), Robbery (Class II Felony), Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Prohibited Person (Class ID Felony), and Use of a Deadly Weapon to Commit a Felony (Class IC Felony). Bond was set at 10% of $100,000.00.
The Chadron Police Department was assisted by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department
On Wednesday, October 27, 2021, the Chadron Police Department and the Nebraska Health and Human Services department made an arrest in a multi-month investigation involving an elderly resident in Chadron having an unauthorized credit card opened and used in their name. The investigation focused on a female suspect who had direct contact with the resident in a trusted position as a CNA and Med Aide. Chadron Police ascertained that the credit card amassed a balance of over $5,000 by which video was located of the female utilizing the credit card for personal gain. On Wednesday October 27, 2021, the lead investigator on the case, Sgt. Jarvis Wallage, along with other members of the Chadron Police Department, served a search warrant on the female’s local address which resulted in the seizure of financial documents and personal electronic devices.
As a result, Heidi Irish-Tunheim, age 47 of Chadron was placed under arrest for Identity Theft(Class IIA Felony), Criminal Impersonation(Class III Felony) and Abuse of a vulnerable adult(Class IIIA Felony). Irish-Tunheim was remanded to the custody of the Dawes County Jail where her bond was set at 10% of $50,000.
The Chadron Police Department was assisted by the Nebraska State Patrol, The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Department of Labor, and the Nebraska Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit.
Thanks to...Sergeant Patrick Young and Sgt. Jarvis Wallage of the Chadron Police Dept.