State taking lead on Annika Swanson murder prosecution

    The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office will be prosecuting the three individuals arrested after the November disappearance and death of Annika Swanson, 22, of Imperial.
    Attorneys Doug Warner and Mike Guinan have been assigned the case by the AG’s office. Warner works out of the AG’s Scottsbluff office, while Guinan is in Lincoln.
    The state’s handling of the prosecution of all three individuals arrested in the case came at the request of Chase County officials.
    Arrested on first-degree murder charges were Kevin S. German, 24, of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Keonna N. Carter, 22, of Taylorsville, Utah.
    The pair was arrested Nov. 23 in Fort Collins, Colorado, initially charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, kidnapping, false imprisonment, terroristic threats and third-degree assault.
    The first-degree murder charges were added Nov. 25 after Swanson’s body was found about five miles south of Imperial.
    Also arrested in the case was Russell Mann, 43, of rural Enders on two counts of accessory to kidnapping.
    German, Carter and Mann all received court-appointed attorneys Nov. 25 in Chase County Court.
    Todd Lancaster with the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy in Lincoln will be lead counsel in representing German.
    Robert Lindemeier and Kent Florom, both of North Platte, were appointed to represent Carter.
    Joel Burke of Imperial is the court-appointed attorney for Mann.
    German and Carter were scheduled for an extradition hearing Tuesday afternoon this week in Fort Collins, Colorado, where they remained in jail.
    According to the Attorney General’s Office, on Tuesday Carter waived her extradition and can be transported back to Chase County.
    The Chase County Sheriff’s office will be responsible for transporting her to Chase County, said Suzanne Gage, Director of Communications with the AG’s office.
    German’s hearing was continued and he is to appear this Friday at 9:30 a.m. when he will decide whether he will contest extradition.
    Bonds on both, originally set at $1 million each, were removed. They are now being held without bond, according to the Chase County Sheriff’s Office.
    Mann remains in the Chase County Jail on a reduced $200,000 bond requested by his attorney. His bond had originally been set at $250,000.
Memorial service Tuesday
    A memorial service for Swanson is planned for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m., at the Zion Lutheran Church.