A long-standing murder case in Nebraska has finally seen new light. In 1969, seventeen-year-old Mary Kay Heese was killed in Wahoo, Nebraska. For over five decades, the case remained cold, leaving her family without closure or answers regarding the person responsible for her death.
Investigative journalist Leesa Zalesky and former investigator Ted Green teamed up to document the details of this tragedy. Their project, titled Chasing Evil In America's Heartland, hit shelves recently. The book draws on years of research to provide a thorough account of the events surrounding the case and identifies mistakes made during the initial law enforcement investigation.
In 2025, Joseph Ambrose received a sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection to the case. This legal development acted as a catalyst for the authors to release their findings. They sought to provide the public and the victim's family with the complete picture that was missing for so many years.
Green, who spent eleven years on the case, resigned his position following the court decision. Both he and Zalesky aim for this book to serve as an account for the victim and her surviving relatives. A book signing is scheduled for August 12 at the Wahoo Public Library where the authors will discuss their work and the details they uncovered.