Abstract
On April 17, 2006, Wayne and Sharmon Stock were murdered in Murdock, Nebraska, shocking the community. The investigation was complicated by wrongful arrests and mishandled evidence. Initially, Matthew Livers, the victims’ nephew, and his cousin Nicholas Sampson were wrongfully accused after Livers gave a false confession during an 11-hour interrogation. There was no physical evidence linking them to the crime, and the case relied on a fabricated blood sample. However, forensic evidence later revealed that the real killers were Jessica Reid and Gregory Fester, two teenagers from Wisconsin. Livers' confession was deemed unreliable due to his low IQ and the interrogation tactics used. Additionally, CSI Director David Kofoed tampered with evidence, raising ethical concerns. Ultimately, Livers and Sampson were exonerated and received compensation, while Kofoed was convicted of evidence tampering. This case highlights the risks of coercive interrogations and the need for improved criminal investigation practices.
Faculty Advisor
Morgan Steele
Department/Program
Criminal Justice
Submission Type
in-person poster
Date
4-1-2025
Rights
Copyright the Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Sander, Tatum L.
(2025)
"Murder on the Plains: The Murdock Farmhouse Slayings,"
SACAD: Scholarly Activities: Vol. 2025, Article 43.
Available at:
https://scholars.fhsu.edu/sacad/vol2025/iss2025/43
