Man charged in Seward woman's murder to stand trial after suicide attempt

A Seward man, 54-year-old Casey Kindt, has been found competent to stand trial for the murder of his ex-fiancé, Jamie Hagen, who was 36 years old. This determination was made by Judge James Strecker after reviewing a competency report from the Lincoln Regional Center. The trial is set to proceed following a hearing scheduled for April 2 in Seward County District Court.

Kindt's evaluation was ordered after he was expected to survive a self-inflicted gunshot wound he sustained after allegedly killing Hagen on February 8. Initially scheduled for May, the competency hearing was moved up to March 7, just days after the evaluation was mandated.

On that fateful day, Kindt shot Hagen before attempting to take his own life. Fortunately for him, the bullet caused a unique injury that resulted in his survival. Once it was confirmed that he would recover, prosecutors quickly filed multiple charges against him, including first-degree murder, burglary, child abuse, and several firearms-related offenses.

As the case progressed through the court, Judge C. Jo Petersen determined that Kindt would be held without bond following the filing of charges on February 19. This ruling underscores the seriousness of the accusations against him and the judicial system's response to the violent incident.

The upcoming trial will focus on the circumstances surrounding Hagen’s death and evaluate the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defense. The Seward community remains attentive as the legal proceedings continue to unfold.