The remains of a Missouri Valley man, missing for nearly three years, were found by law enforcement in April.

Jesse George, 35, was reported missing on June 29, 2023. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Missouri Valley Police Department and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office continued to investigate his disappearance, according to a news release from the Iowa DCI.

On April 15, 2026, law enforcement excavated a location four miles northwest of Missouri Valley where human remains were found, the release said. The remains were positively identified as George’s and the Iowa State Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Joseph Langford, 52, also of Missouri Valley, was arrested by the Iowa DCI in George’s death on Monday, May 18. He was charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.

An investigation into George’s death is ongoing.

Langford admitted to killing, burying body to others

George was last seen with Langford near a camper around Fourth Street in Missouri Valley on the morning of June 29, 2023. Langford later admitted the two had an argument in the camper, according to court filings.

Later that morning, around 4:30 a.m., Langford had a friend help move a car that was parked in front of the camper. Langford was armed with a rifle and wouldn’t let his friend in the camper, the court filing said. He later told the same friend that “somebody’s gone, they’re not coming back, and I’m going to prison.”

Langford and his sister took the camper to an Interstate 29 rest area, where they were both employed, and cleaned the camper, according to the court filings.

A report to local law enforcement was made about the camper. Upon arrival, law enforcement saw bullet holes in the side of the camper, and blood was observed in the camper. The camper was processed by law enforcement at that time. Forensic testing determined the blood to be George’s.

About a year later, Langford admitted to killing George to another friend, the court filings said. He also told a coworker he had shot and killed George in the camper. He also admitted to burying George’s body behind the rest area.

An autopsy determined George had been shot multiple times.

Langford is in the custody of the Harrison County Jail on a $1 million cash bond, with a court appearance scheduled for May 27.

Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — Recent rainfall across Nebraska may not have done enough to alleviate the state’s persistent drought, with many areas that needed moisture most receiving insufficient amounts.

The southeast region received the most rain over the past few days, where conditions are abnormally dry or in moderate drought.

The southern panhandle, where conditions are most severe, received minimal rainfall.

Last Thursday’s drought monitor showed exceptional drought in portions of the panhandle, including Morrill and Garden counties, where nearly 1 million acres burned in February.

Two-thirds of the state was in extreme drought, according to the map released last Thursday.

“Conditions are probably about as bad as a dust bowl. The map that was released last Thursday shows that two-thirds of the state were in extreme drought, which basically means that if you combine factors, that’s the worst 5% we’ve ever seen,” said Dr. Eric Hunt, a climatologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Hunt said it would take multiple good rains in a row with cooler temperatures over the span of a month to pull some areas out of their drought conditions.

Pasture conditions around the state are poor, with only 4% considered very good to excellent—dead last in the nation.

“Some of the northern panhandle and northeast Nebraska did okay, but there’s large sections of north central and northeastern Nebraska that did not pick up as much. And the southern panhandle generally got the shaft yet again,” Hunt said.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s drought monitor will update again Thursday morning. It will give scientists a better idea of how much this weekend’s storms made a difference in the state’s drought.

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BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — With the temperatures warming and the summer around the corner, emerald ash borers are picking up their activity.

Governor Kelly Armstrong proclaimed May 17-23 Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) is giving North Dakotans advice on how to protect their trees.

Emerald ash borers (EABs) attack true ash trees. The larvae feed under the bark, which disrupts the movement of water and nutrients. This often leads to the death of the tree within several years.

According to the NDDA, EABs have killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in the United States over the past decade.

North Dakota is home to more than 90 million ash trees, which are found along streets, in city parks, rural plantings, forests, and along the edges of rivers and lakes. EABs have been found in LaMoure and Cass counties.

The NDDA says EABs can be moved in firewood, and people in North Dakota should do what they can to prevent the spread.

“EAB spreads slowly on its own, but it can be moved long distances in firewood and ash nursery stock,” State Forester Tom Claeys said. “Please buy your firewood from local sources, and if you are coming from out of the state, please don’t bring firewood with you.”

The NDDA and North Dakota Forest Service (NDFS) will be placing nearly 300 traps around the state this month to attract EABs. These are two-footlong, three-sided, and purple, and people are asked to leave them alone.

People can use a treatment to prevent EAB from establishing in an ash tree, but this is not recommended until EAB has been found within 15 miles of the tree. It is prohibited to move firewood or other things from an ash tree outside a regulated area, including LaMoure and Cass counties.