Winnebago Woman Sentenced for Second Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michelle Lee Marr, 50, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 5, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for second degree murder and tampering with documents or evidence. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Marr to 300 months’ imprisonment for second degree murder and 240 months’ imprisonment for tampering with evidence, to run concurrent to the sentence for second degree murder. There is no parole in the federal system. After Marr’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

On March 12, 2022, Marr contacted Winnebago Emergency Medical Services to report the victim was not waking up and requested an ambulance respond to her residence. EMS transported the victim to Twelve Clans Unity hospital in Winnebago, Nebraska. Due to the severity of his injuries, the victim was taken by helicopter to Mercy One Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.  The medical treatment team at Mercy determined the victim had brain trauma and swelling. Nurses also noted significant amounts of makeup applied to the victim’s face, which revealed bruising when removed, as well as numerous bruises on the victim’s body. On March 13, 2022, the victim succumbed to his injuries. A subsequent autopsy determined the victim’s cause of death to be blunt force trauma and the manner of death to be homicide.

Investigation revealed that Marr and the victim were home together the evening of March 11, 2022. There was no evidence the victim ever left the home, and he was found unresponsive in the home on March 12, 2022. Marr claimed to have been passed out from approximately 5:00 PM on March 11, 2022, until finding the victim on March 12, 2022. Social media evidence and evidence from Marr’s phone, found during the investigation, contradicted Marr’s claims. One critical piece of evidence found on Marr’s phone was a picture of the victim, which evidence supports was taken approximately 15 minutes before Marr contacted EMS. In the picture, the victim’s injuries are obscured by what was later revealed to be makeup.

During the February 2025 jury trial in which Marr was found guilty, a pathologist testified the victim’s injuries were consistent with inflicted trauma as opposed to trauma which might result from some type of fall. A neurosurgeon testified the injury the victim suffered would have rendered him unconscious almost immediately after the blow.  Additionally, a witnesses testified to observing previous incidents of Marr physically assaulting the victim.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.