The body of a Nebraska mother missing for over a year has been discovered, bringing a tragic end to an exhaustive 18-month search as investigators close in on a person of interest.
A Daunting Search Ends in Tragedy
Jerica Hamre, aged 30, was reported missing from Lincoln on 3 July 2024, after she was last heard from on 25 June. For nearly a year and a half, police, alongside her family, friends, and community volunteers, combed a vast area for any sign of her. Captain Ben Miller of the Lincoln Police Department described the effort as searching over 1,000 square miles of challenging terrain, a task driven by an unwavering commitment to find her.
The breakthrough came on 17 December 2025. A representative inspecting a rural farm in Furnas County, near Oxford, discovered Hamre's remains in an old farm shed. The location is roughly a three-hour drive southwest of Lincoln. Police confirmed they do not believe Hamre had any connection to the farm or its owners.
Investigation Treated as Homicide
Authorities are treating Jerica Hamre's death as a homicide, though an exact cause has not yet been released. Captain Miller stated that evidence suggests she had travelled from Lincoln towards the Oxford area and that her body had been at the remote farm location "for quite some time."
In a significant development, police revealed they have identified a person of interest in the case. This individual was already in custody on unrelated prior charges. Investigators do not believe this person is connected to the farm where Hamre was found. The identity of the person of interest has not been made public, and formal charges in connection with Hamre's death had not been filed at the time of the latest police update.
A Family's Heartbreak and a Measure of Closure
Captain Miller expressed the department's profound sorrow, stating their hearts broke for Hamre's family and friends who had spent so long searching for answers. "This was not the outcome we had hoped for. We hoped that we could find Jerica alive and well and get her back to her family," Miller said. He added that while tragic, there was value in being able to return her to her family and provide them with some long-awaited answers.
Since Hamre's disappearance, her two young daughters have been in the care of her parents. The Lincoln Police Department's investigation remains active and ongoing as they work to piece together the final events of Jerica Hamre's life.
