New Nebraska panel reports 89 domestic abuse-related victim deaths since July 2022
DADRT issued its first report Wednesday; free virtual training series begins Oct. 22
LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska’s Domestic Abuse Death Review Team has identified 89 domestic abuse-related victim deaths since July 21, 2022, including 30 deaths in 2025, according to a new annual report released Wednesday.
The team was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 2022 to review domestic abuse deaths and recommend ways to improve victim safety and prevent future fatalities.
The team completed 41 comprehensive case reviews involving 46 victims during that period.
The report also highlights an increase in intimate partner murder-suicides. Nebraska experienced more of those deaths in 2025 than it did in 2023 and 2024 combined.
Children among those affected
The report also details the impact of domestic abuse deaths on children.
According to the review team, 32 children were present when a parent or caregiver was murdered. Another 10 children were killed by a family member, while more than 80 children were directly affected by domestic abuse-related deaths.
The findings also point to the importance of recognizing warning signs and connecting victims with help.
Among the cases reviewed by the team, only one victim had contact with a domestic violence program during the year before their death.
However, family members were aware of previous violence in 74% of the cases reviewed, while friends knew about prior violence in 65% of cases.
The report says those figures demonstrate the important role family members, friends and others can play in recognizing abuse and safely connecting victims with resources.
Free virtual training series
The Domestic Abuse Death Review Team and Attorney General’s Office are also offering a free, five-session virtual training series during 2026 and 2027.
The sessions will address domestic abuse, stalking, lethality, survivor-centered practices, perpetrator accountability, investigation and prosecution, Nebraska law, and coordinated community response.
The first session, “Understanding the Landscape: Dynamics, Stalking, & Survivor-Centered Practice,” is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026.
Additional sessions are scheduled for Jan. 21, April 22, July 29, and Sept. 23, 2027.
The full 2026 Domestic Abuse Death Review Team Annual Report and accompanying fact sheet are available through the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. The site also includes information about the state’s domestic violence initiatives and registration for the upcoming training series.
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