She was charged with manslaughter after her husband died from strangulation; her account of what happened differs from police, according to her public defender.
Brenda Bogacz, 71, appeared in court in a wheelchair on Friday following her arrest Tuesday on a criminal homicide charge.
OMAHA, Neb. — The wife of a man found dead by a relative earlier this week told authorities she believed her husband was only unconscious after she attempted to pull him to the car using a rope.
Brenda Bogacz, 71, appeared in court in a wheelchair on Friday after her arrest Tuesday on a charge of criminal homicide. Although she was able to move herself around the courtroom using her legs, bailiffs wheeled her out at the conclusion of the hearing.
Prosecutors formally charged her with manslaughter, an offense that carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The court set her bond at $200,000 with 10% required.
Brenda Bogacz made her first court appearance on Jan. 2, 2026.
Authorities said her 76-year-old husband, Donald, died from strangulation. Police responded to the couple’s home near 84th Street and Lakeview Drive, south of L Street, just before 8 p.m. Monday to conduct a wellness check.
During Friday’s court hearing, attorneys said a relative discovered the victim inside the home on Monday. They added that Bogacz told authorities she had been trying to move her husband to the car on Sunday by using a rope.
“She tied a rope around his feet. When that did not work, she tied the rope around his neck. After pulling on the rope attached to the victim’s neck, defendant believes victim went unconscious as he was not moving or speaking,” the prosecutor said.
Bogacz told investigators she noticed he was no longer moving or speaking but believed he had only passed out. Officers also reported seeing bruises and cuts on the victim’s hands that they said were consistent with prior assaults.
Her public defender said Friday that Bogacz’s version of events differs significantly from the account presented by police. The attorney also noted that she suffers from numerous physical ailments and said Donald had experienced severe cognitive decline.
Bogacz is scheduled to return to court next month.
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