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Judge denies bond for 36-year-old man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church
KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS. WE’RE FOLLOWING BREAKING INFORMATION ON A MURDER NEAR 36TH AND CASS OMAHA. POLICE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS A DEACON. JOHN ZACH. WE’RE LEARNING. AUTHORITIES ARRESTED HIS 36 YEAR OLD SON, MARTIN ZACH KETV NEWSWATCH 7 MADISON PERALEZ IS LIVE AT THE HOME WHERE ZACH WAS FOUND. MADISON. WHAT’S THE UPDATE? BILL OMAHA POLICE SAY DEACON JOHN, ZACH AND HIS WIFE MARY, ADOPTED MARTIN WHEN HE WAS THREE MONTHS OLD. INVESTIGATORS SAY HE WAS STAYING AT THE HOUSE THE DAY BEFORE. HE REPORTEDLY KILLED HIS FATHER. MARY CALLED TO REPORT JOHN MISSING, AND THEN WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED ON SCENE, THEY DISCOVERED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WE REALIZED THIS WAS GOING TO BE A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION. LIEUTENANT NICHOLAS ANDREWS WITH THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS MARY ZACH CALLED POLICE WEDNESDAY NIGHT NEAR 36 IN CASS. WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY FOUND DEACON JOHN ZACH DEAD. THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY GRIEVING AT THIS POINT AND WORKING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, INVESTIGATORS SAY DEACON ZACH’S BLUE MAZDA WAS MISSING, AND THURSDAY MORNING THEY FOUND IT, BUT SAY THE DRIVER REFUSED TO STOP FOR POLICE, WHICH LED TO A SLOW SPEED PURSUIT. HE WAS TRYING TO EVADE POLICE, BUT WHEN HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, HE WAS NOT INJURED. POLICE SAY MARTIN ZACH WAS ARRESTED FOR SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND AVOIDING ARREST. COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW. HE ALSO HAS PRIOR ASSAULT AND TRAFFIC CONVICTIONS. JOHN ZACH WAS MARRIED. HE LIVED WITH HIS WIFE AND SOMETIMES THE SUSPECT, MARTIN, LIVED THERE WITH HIM, ANDREW SAYS. MARTIN STAYED AT THE HOME THE DAY BEFORE HE ALLEGEDLY KILLED HIS FATHER, DEACON AT SERVICES SAINT PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH NEAR 28TH, AND LEAVENWORTH, OMAHA’S NEWS LEADER, REACHED OUT TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF OMAHA AND ARCHBISHOP MICHAEL MCGOVERN SAID IN A STATEMENT, I’M SADDENED TO LEARN OF THIS TRAGIC DEATH, SAYING DEACON ZACH JOINED SAINT PETER IN 1998 AND DIRECTED THE PARISH’S YOUTH GROUP, THE CHURCH’S REVEREND JOHN BEEMER MADE A STATEMENT THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN THEY LEARNED OF THE NEWS, SAYING DEACON ZACH TOUCHED COUNTLESS LIVES IN THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE GRIEF IS VERY REAL. YET THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH TEACHES US THAT DEATH DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD. THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THIS MAKES IT THE SECOND HOMICIDE OF THE YEAR. AND BEHIND ME, AN HOUR AGO, THERE WAS CAUTION. CRETE CRIME SCENE TAPE RIGHT HERE AND NOW. IT’S BEEN TAKEN DOWN HERE AT 36 IN CASS, AT THE HOME WHERE DEACON JOHN ZACH WAS FOUND. BUT AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING. REPORTING IN OMAHA. MADISON PERALE
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Judge denies bond for 36-year-old man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church
The 36-year-old man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church, was denied bond during a court appearance Monday.Martin Zak was charged with first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, flight to avoid arrest and theft by unlawful taking in the death of 69-year-old John Zak.Previous coverage: Man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church, police sayInvestigators said Martin Zak was staying with Deacon John Zak a day before he reportedly killed his father.On Wednesday night, Omaha police were called to a home near 36th and Cass, which property records confirm is John Zak’s home. There, officers found John Zak dead. Then, Thursday morning, police said a vehicle of interest in the investigation was spotted near Interstate 80 and 13th. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, which led to a pursuit. The pursuit ended near 10th and Martha, where officers took Martin Zak into custody.Officials said Deacon Zak and his wife, Mary, adopted Martin Zak when he was 3 months old.John Zak was a deacon at St. Peter’s Catholic Church for more than 25 years.Martin Zak was held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court next on April 17.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The 36-year-old man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church, was denied bond during a court appearance Monday.
Martin Zak was charged with first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, flight to avoid arrest and theft by unlawful taking in the death of 69-year-old John Zak.
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Previous coverage: Man accused of killing his father, a deacon at an Omaha church, police say
Investigators said Martin Zak was staying with Deacon John Zak a day before he reportedly killed his father.
On Wednesday night, Omaha police were called to a home near 36th and Cass, which property records confirm is John Zak’s home. There, officers found John Zak dead.
Then, Thursday morning, police said a vehicle of interest in the investigation was spotted near Interstate 80 and 13th. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, which led to a pursuit. The pursuit ended near 10th and Martha, where officers took Martin Zak into custody.
Officials said Deacon Zak and his wife, Mary, adopted Martin Zak when he was 3 months old.
John Zak was a deacon at St. Peter’s Catholic Church for more than 25 years.
Martin Zak was held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court next on April 17.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
