Valentine man arrested for first degree murder

The Nebraska State Patrol has arrested a Valentine man for murder following a search and investigation Tuesday in Cherry County.

During the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug. 24, the Cherry County Sheriff's Office received a report of a disturbance in Kilgore. The sheriff's office requested assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol during their investigation.

Tuesday morning, law enforcement sought the public's assistance to locate two individuals believed to have been involved in the disturbance in Kilgore. Troopers were able to locate one of the subjects, Kevin Kilmer, 25, of Valentine, early Tuesday afternoon, as he was hiding in a wooded area. He was taken into custody and transported to the hospital in Valentine for medical clearance due to extreme temperatures.

Later Tuesday, the second subject, Ruth Wittmuss, 52, was located deceased of an apparent homicide.

After further investigation, Kevin Kilmer has been arrested for first degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. Kilmer has been lodged in Cherry County Jail.

The investigation remains ongoing.