A Nebraska teen who assisted in the planned stabbing of his girlfriend’s father will spend decades behind bars. The crime stemmed from his girlfriend’s frustrations over family disputes and alleged mental abuse.
Isaac Honigschmidt, 18, was sentenced on Friday for his role in the murder of Jesse Gilmer Jr., 70. He was convicted of aiding and abetting the killing and tampering with evidence.
A judge ordered him to serve 15 to 20 years for the murder charge, plus an additional five to 10 years for evidence tampering. His sentences will run consecutively. With time served, he has already spent over two years in custody.
Honigschmidt’s girlfriend, Sallie Gilmer, also 18, received a 40 to 60-year sentence last month, after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the fatal attack.
Authorities say the killing took place on October 3, 2022. That day, Honigschmidt drove Sallie from school to her apartment in Lincoln, where she stabbed her father multiple times, after the act, the teens returned to school, having turned off their phones to create an alibi.
Later that day, Sallie called 911, claiming she found her father dead. Responding officers discovered Jesse Gilmer Jr. on the living room couch, suffering six stab wounds, including one that struck an artery and led to fatal internal bleeding. A deep cut was also found on his forehead.
Investigators soon focused on Sallie and Honigschmidt. Their statements, along with digital and physical evidence, implicated them in the crime.
Records indicate that Sallie had expressed a desire for her father’s death for years. She reportedly resented his alleged mental abuse, his financial struggles, and his disapproval of her relationship with Honigschmidt. The couple discussed the killing in the days leading up to the attack.
Both teens, minors at the time, were charged and tried as adults. They attempted to transfer their cases to juvenile court but were unsuccessful.
Court filings revealed that Sallie viewed the crime as a way to escape family turmoil and remain with Honigschmidt. The judge, however, ruled that their actions were premeditated and justified their adult court trials.
“The district court found that the motivation for the offense was based on Gilmer’s ‘attempt to eliminate the stress, depression, and anxiety caused by her [father’s] constant fighting with her mother, his mental abuse, his tendency to commit acts placing the family in debt and her desire to continue her relationship with … Honigschmidt.’”
Now, both teens face lengthy prison terms for their roles in the tragic and brutal crime.
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