HARTINGTON, Neb. – A couple convicted in the August 2022 quadruple homicide in Laurel appeared in court recently. Carrie Jones, wife of Jason Jones, was found guilty of first-degree murder for her role in the death of Gene Twiford, 86.

Jason Jones was convicted of fatally shooting Gene Twiford, Janet Twiford, 85; their daughter Dana Twiford, 55; and neighbor Michele Ebeling, 53. and setting their homes on fire.

Carrie Jones was also convicted of tampering with evidence and being an accessory to a felony on Aug. 7, 2025.

On Nov. 20, Carrie Jones received a sentence of life in prison without parole. She declined to speak, but listened as family members of the victims read impact statements.

Gail Curry, the Twifords’ oldest daughter, stated, “I’ll be honest, I do not believe I'll ever be able to forgive the defendant for what she did to my family. However, I know that my mom, dad and sister the kind of loving hearts they were and had already forgiven. That's who they were.”

Jill Oleson, another daughter, added, “You never fully heal from this. You just put a Band-Aid on it and hope for a scar.”

Curry also emphasized the irreplaceable loss, stating, “The defendant took away the best parts of our family… I want her to spend the rest of her life in prison every single day remembering what she took from us.

Mitigation hearings began later that day for Jason Jones to determine if he will receive the death penalty. A three-judge panel will review evidence from both sides over the next 60 days. While Jason Jones waived his appearance on Nov. 20, he is required to be present for his sentencing, scheduled for April 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the Cedar County Courthouse.