Lincoln, Neb. — Authorities have transitioned a missing person case involving a pregnant woman into a homicide investigation, announcing their belief that Hannah Neville, 26, her husband Roberto Tanner, 27, and their unborn child are likely deceased. The investigation has led to the arrest of a couple, Sterling James, 24, and Sayde Titus, 22, on charges of first-degree murder and aiding and abetting, respectively.
The Lincoln Police Department, in coordination with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, has been piecing together a timeline of events leading up to the couple’s disappearance. Neville’s roommate reported her missing after she was last seen on January 15, when she left Stromsburg to pick up Tanner in Lincoln. Investigators used location data and witness accounts to determine that Neville and Tanner visited James and Titus at an apartment in Lincoln around 7 p.m. that evening.
According to police, Neville’s phone left that apartment an hour later, traveling to a residence near South 27th and Emiline Streets in Lancaster County, where it remained until 1:30 a.m. on January 16. Investigators discovered that Neville’s SUV had gone up in flames around 12:30 a.m., and when authorities attempted to contact her about the fire, they found her phone was no longer in service. Officials suggest that she and her husband were likely already deceased by that time.
On February 1, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence linked to Neville’s phone activity. During the operation, several people were detained and questioned. Investigators reported that James confessed to shooting Neville and Tanner and is suspected of burying their bodies before igniting the fire that destroyed Neville’s vehicle. Titus is believed to have assisted James after the alleged homicides.
Adding a complex twist to the case, authorities revealed that James and Tanner share a familial bond as half-brothers, with James reportedly on parole at the time of the events. The police have expressed gratitude to the community for its help in raising awareness and providing tips that have been instrumental in advancing the investigation.
As the investigation progresses, authorities continue their search for the missing couple’s bodies, while the broader implications of this tragic case resonate within the community. The intense collaboration between law enforcement agencies exemplifies their commitment to uncovering the truth behind this deeply troubling incident.