Honestly, if you drive past the cornfields of Johnson County, you’d never guess that a few miles away sits one of the most intense buildings in the Midwest. The Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (TSCI) is home to the few men the state has decided shouldn't live among us anymore. Death row inmates in Nebraska don't live in the old, crumbling brick of the State Penitentiary in Lincoln—not anymore. They’re tucked away in a high-tech, maximum-security unit out in the country, basically waiting for a legal clock that moves at the speed of molasses.
It’s a weird vibe in Nebraska right now. We have the death penalty, then we don’t, then we do again. It’s like a political tug-of-war where the rope is made of human lives and court filings. You’ve probably heard about the big names, like Nikko Jenkins or Aubrey Trail, but the day-to-day reality of how these guys live—and whether the state can even finish what it started—is a lot messier than the headlines make it sound.
Who is Actually on Death Row in Nebraska Right Now?
As of early 2026, there are 11 men currently awaiting execution in Nebraska. It’s a small group, but their crimes are the stuff of nightmares. We’re talking about serial killers, spree killers, and people who have done things that honestly make you want to look away.
Take Nikko Jenkins, for example. He’s probably the most famous face in the group, mostly because he spent years mutilating himself to look like an Egyptian god and claiming a demon named Apophis told him to kill four people in Omaha. Then there’s Aubrey Trail, who was convicted in the gruesome death and dismemberment of Sydney Loofe—a case that basically paralyzed the state with fear back in 2017.
The list also includes:
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- Jorge Galindo, Jose Sandoval, and Erick Vela: These three were part of the 2002 Norfolk bank robbery where five innocent people were gunned down in cold blood.
- Anthony Garcia: An ex-doctor who went on a revenge-fueled killing spree, murdering the family members of people he felt had wronged his medical career.
- John Lotter: He’s been there the longest. He was convicted for the 1993 murders of Brandon Teena and two others, a case that eventually became the movie Boys Don’t Cry.
- Raymond Mata Jr., Jeffrey Hessler, and Marco Torres Jr.: Men whose names might not pop up as much in the news lately, but who represent some of the most violent cases in the state's recent history.
The "Will They, Won't They" of Nebraska Executions
Nebraska is in a strange spot legally. In 2015, the Legislature actually voted to abolish the death penalty. They overrode a veto from then-Governor Pete Ricketts to do it. But then, a year later, a petition drive—partially funded by Ricketts himself—put it back on the ballot. The voters said "put it back," and so it returned.
But having the law on the books is one thing; actually carrying it out is another. Nebraska’s last execution was Carey Dean Moore in 2018. He had been on death row for 39 years for killing two cab drivers. He basically stopped fighting his appeals because he was tired of waiting.
That execution was a total circus behind the scenes. Nebraska became the first state to use fentanyl in a lethal injection cocktail. The state had to jump through massive hoops to get the drugs because pharmaceutical companies didn't want their products used to kill people. Fresenius Kabi, a German company, even sued to stop them.
Since Moore, the state has been at a standstill. Why? Because the drugs they used have expired, and finding a new supply is like trying to find a needle in a haystack—if the haystack was guarded by lawyers and international regulations.
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Life Inside the Unit: Not Exactly What You Think
People think death row is this dark, damp dungeon. It’s not. At TSCI, it’s basically a high-security housing unit where the inmates spend about 23 hours a day in their cells. They aren't mixed with the general population. They have their own exercise yard, which is basically a fenced-in concrete box where they can see the sky for an hour a day.
- The Routine: They get three meals a day, usually served through a slot in the door.
- Contact: Visits are strictly "no-contact," meaning there’s a glass partition. No hugging your mom or shaking hands with your lawyer.
- Communication: They can write letters and make collect calls, but everything is monitored.
It’s a life of extreme monotony punctuated by the occasional legal update that usually just says "wait some more." Some of these guys, like John Lotter, have been living in this limbo for over 30 years. You grow old there. You get gray hair. You develop health problems. Honestly, many of these men will likely die of natural causes before the state ever gets a needle in their arm.
The 2026 Legal Battle: LR15CA
Right now, there’s a huge push in the Nebraska Legislature to put the death penalty back on the ballot. A proposed constitutional amendment, LR15CA, is making waves. If it passes and the voters approve it in November 2026, it wouldn't just stop future executions—it would automatically commute all current death sentences to life in prison.
Supporters say the death penalty is a "broken system" that costs taxpayers millions in legal fees without actually making anyone safer. Opponents argue that for crimes as horrific as the Norfolk bank murders, anything less than the ultimate penalty is an insult to the victims' families.
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What Happens Next?
If you're following this, you've gotta keep an eye on two things: the drug supply and the ballot box.
- The Drug Search: The Department of Correctional Services is constantly looking for a way to carry out the sentences. If they find a supplier who is willing to sell them the necessary chemicals quietly, we could see an execution date set for someone like Aubrey Trail, who has expressed interest in waiving his appeals.
- The 2026 Vote: This is the big one. If the constitutional amendment makes it to the ballot, Nebraska might join the growing list of states that have walked away from capital punishment for good.
If you want to stay informed, the best thing you can do is check the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services website for population updates and follow the floor debates in the Unicameral. Whether you think these men deserve the needle or a life behind bars, the reality is that the "row" in Nebraska is a place where time stands still—until the law, or the chemicals, finally catch up.
For now, the eleven men at Tecumseh wait. They eat their meals, they walk their hour in the concrete yard, and they watch the news to see if their names are mentioned. It's a slow, quiet end to lives that were defined by sudden, loud violence.
Next Steps for You:
If you're looking for the most current roster of inmates, you can visit the NDCS Inmate Search and filter for "Death" under sentence type. You can also reach out to your local senator to see where they stand on the upcoming LR15CA amendment before the next legislative session.