A Bellevue man charged in the death of his wife was ordered held without bail Thursday.
Brandon S. Norton, 37, has been charged with second-degree murder. Norton went to the Sarpy County Jail Tuesday evening to tell authorities he had killed his wife.
Authorities have not located the body of Jennifer Norton, 32. Deputies with the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office searched the Missouri River on Wednesday and continued their search Thursday.
Michael Dressen, a salesman at American Auto Sales of Bellevue, attended Norton's hearing Thursday. Afterward, he said he has known the couple for about two years and that they had bought cars from the business.
"I just saw Jennifer on Saturday when she came in to look at a Mazda," Dressen said. He said she told him she was preparing to divorce her husband.
"Jennifer was very happy," Dressen said. "She had recently gotten a job, but I don't know where it was."
During the couple's visits to the car lot, Dressen said, he learned that they had been together for 14 years, married for 10, and have five children. Their house on Main Street in Bellevue is near the Missouri River, and Dressen said Brandon Norton often talked about letting his kids walk down to the river.
Anyone with information about Jennifer Norton’s whereabouts is asked to call the Bellevue Police Department at 402-293-3100 or Sarpy County Crime Stoppers at 402-592-STOP.
