On the morning of September 26, 2002, four men carried out an armed robbery at a U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk, Nebraska, that resulted in the deaths of five people in under a minute. Gabriel Rodriguez entered the bank first as a lookout before three armed men — Jose Sandoval, Jorge Galindo, and Erick Vela — entered wearing dark clothing and carrying 9mm handguns. Surveillance video, though without audio, captured the shootings. Sandoval opened fire on tellers Samuel Sun, 50, and Jo Mausbach, 42, and also fatally shot customer Evonne Tuttle, 37. Galindo fatally shot assistant branch manager Lola Elwood, 43, and fired at another customer, Micki Koepke, who was wounded but survived. Vela fatally shot personal banker Lisa Bryant, 29. The robbers fled without taking any money, stole vehicles from a nearby home and then a pickup truck, and were captured roughly three hours later in O'Neill, Nebraska, after their stolen car was tracked via satellite navigation. Rodriguez, who had fled separately in the original getaway car, was arrested later that night in Norfolk. All four men were charged with first-degree murder.
Vela pleaded no contest in 2003 and was sentenced to death in January 2007. Sandoval was convicted in November 2003 and formally sentenced to death in January 2005, and he also received 246 years for related firearm charges. Galindo was convicted in December 2003 and sentenced to death, with the sentence formally imposed in November 2004. Rodriguez was convicted in February 2004 and sentenced in April 2004 to five consecutive life sentences. Appeals by Galindo, Sandoval, Rodriguez, and Vela were rejected at various stages by the Nebraska Supreme Court and, in Sandoval's case, by the U.S. Supreme Court. As of April 2026, Sandoval, Galindo, and Vela remain on death row at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
Evonne Tuttle, Lisa Bryant, Robert Pearson Jr., Lola Elwood, Travis Lundell, Jo Mausbach, Samuel Sun
Date
2002
Location
Norfolk, Nebraska, United States
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2002-01
Robert Pearson Jr., 23, is reported missing; Jose Sandoval later pleaded guilty to his murder. His body was not found until 2007.
2002-08
Travis Lundell, 19, an ex-roommate of Sandoval, is murdered by Erick Vela with Jorge Galindo's involvement, reportedly to test loyalty ahead of the planned bank robbery.
2002-09-19
Nebraska State Trooper Mark Zach stops Erick Vela for a traffic violation and arrests him on a concealed weapons charge; a data-entry error results in a stolen firearm not being flagged, and Vela is released after posting bond.
2002-09-26
Gabriel Rodriguez, Jose Sandoval, Jorge Galindo, and Erick Vela rob a U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk, Nebraska; five people are killed and a customer is wounded during the robbery, which lasts less than a minute.
2002-09-26
The four suspects are captured within hours: Sandoval, Galindo, and Vela in O'Neill, Nebraska, and Rodriguez later that night in Norfolk. All four are charged with first-degree murder.
2002-09-27
Nebraska State Trooper Mark Zach dies by suicide, reportedly over his error in the Vela traffic stop.
2003-06
Erick Vela pleads no contest to five counts of first-degree murder and additional charges.
2003-09-22
A jury recommends the death penalty for Erick Vela.
2003-11-25
A Madison County jury finds Jose Sandoval guilty of all five counts of first-degree murder.
2003-12-02
A jury recommends the death penalty for Jose Sandoval on all five counts.
2003-12-17
A jury finds Jorge Galindo guilty of all five counts of first-degree murder.
2003-12-24
Jorge Galindo is sentenced to death upon the jury's unanimous recommendation.
2004-02-25
Gabriel Rodriguez is convicted of five first-degree murder charges and firearm-related counts.
2004-04-23
Gabriel Rodriguez is sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.
2004-11-09
A three-judge trial court formally imposes the death penalty for Jorge Galindo.
2005-01-14
Jose Sandoval is formally sentenced to death, along with 246 years for firearm-related charges.
2007-01-12
Erick Vela is officially sentenced to death by a three-judge court.
2007-01-19
The Nebraska Supreme Court denies Gabriel Rodriguez's appeal.
2009-10-09
The Nebraska Supreme Court dismisses Jorge Galindo's appeal.
2010-07-30
The Nebraska Supreme Court turns down Jose Sandoval's appeal against his death sentence.
2011
The U.S. Supreme Court denies Jose Sandoval's appeal.
2017-07-21
The Nebraska Supreme Court rejects Erick Vela's appeal against his death sentence.
2017-12
Nebraska plans to authorize an execution date for Jose Sandoval.
2018-03-29
Erick Vela appeals to the federal courts to overturn his death sentence.
2023-09-01
The Nebraska Supreme Court rejects another appeal from Jorge Galindo.
Best coverage
VIDEO
MrBallen / 18 min
TOP 3 Strange But True • The most tragic prank I have EVER seen (*MATURE AUDIENCES*)
People
Evonne Tuttle
VICTIM
37-year-old customer, shot and killed by Jose Sandoval during the robbery.
Lisa Bryant
VICTIM
29-year-old personal banker, shot and killed by Erick Vela during the robbery.
Jose Sandoval
CONVICTED
Convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the bank robbery and sentenced to death; also pleaded guilty to the separate murders of Robert Pearson Jr. and Travis Lundell, receiving double life sentences for those.
Erick Vela
CONVICTED
Pleaded no contest to five counts of first-degree murder and other charges related to the bank robbery; sentenced to death.
Robert Pearson Jr.
VICTIM
23-year-old man killed in January 2002; Jose Sandoval later pleaded guilty to his murder. His body was not discovered until 2007.
Jorge Galindo
CONVICTED
Convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the bank robbery and sentenced to death.
Mark Zach
LAW ENFORCEMENT
35-year-old Nebraska State Trooper who died by suicide the day after the bank murders, reportedly over an error made during a traffic stop of Erick Vela.
Lola Elwood
VICTIM
43-year-old assistant branch manager, shot and killed by Jorge Galindo during the robbery.
Gabriel Rodriguez
CONVICTED
Acted as lookout and getaway driver; convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and firearm-related counts, sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.
Travis Lundell
VICTIM
19-year-old ex-roommate of Jose Sandoval, killed in August 2002 by Erick Vela with Jorge Galindo's involvement.
Jo Mausbach
VICTIM
42-year-old bank teller, shot and killed by Jose Sandoval during the robbery.
Samuel Sun
VICTIM
50-year-old teller coordinator, shot and killed by Jose Sandoval during the robbery.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
On September 26, 2002, three armed robbers shot and killed five people in under a minute during a botched bank robbery at a U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk, Nebraska. Three of the four men involved were sentenced to death; a fourth received five consecutive life sentences.
Where did the murders happen?
Norfolk, Nebraska, United States.
Who was convicted?
Jose Sandoval (Convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the bank robbery and sentenced to death; also pleaded guilty to the separate murders of Robert Pearson Jr. and Travis Lundell, receiving double life sentences for those.), Erick Vela (Pleaded no contest to five counts of first-degree murder and other charges related to the bank robbery; sentenced to death.), Jorge Galindo (Convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the bank robbery and sentenced to death.), and Gabriel Rodriguez (Acted as lookout and getaway driver; convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and firearm-related counts, sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.).
