The man prosecutors say murdered a 19 year old Peru State student learned his fate on Wednesday.
37 year old Joshua Keadle was sentenced in Gage County court to 71 years in prison for 2010 the murder of Omaha woman Tyler Thomas. Keadle was facing 20 years to life for second-degree murder after being found guilty in February. Sentencing was originally scheduled for April, but the process was delayed a handful of times due to COVID-19 restrictions. Keadle will be eligible for parole in 35 years.
Thomas disappeared December 3, 2010, after leaving a party near the southeast Nebraska college campus. Although her body was never found, the state issued a death certificate for her in 2013. Investigators believe Keadle threw Thomas' body into the Missouri River, not far from where she attended college at Peru State. Keadle admitted to having been with Thomas near a boat dock, but says he left her by herself the night of December 3rd.
Keadle is already serving a 15 to 20 year sentence for the rape of a 15 year old in Dodge County in 2012. He’s already eligible for parole in that case.