YORK — A York man accused of shooting and killing his wife in the Nebraska town Monday night was previously convicted of murder in Arizona, according to prior court filings.
Police found Stacie Beutler unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds after authorities were called to 84 South Platte Ave. to investigate a shooting at 9:47 p.m. Monday, York Police Chief Ed Tjaden said in a news release.
The 46-year-old York woman was pronounced dead at the scene, Tjaden said in the release.
While investigators were still on scene at the house near Platte Avenue and Walnut Street, police received a tip about the whereabouts of a suspect in the shooting, Tjaden said.
The tip led police to 47-year-old Bart J. Beutler, who investigators found at another house in York about 30 minutes after the shooting was initially reported to authorities, according to the news release.
York Police arrested Beutler on suspicion of first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. He was taken to the county jail.
Investigators believe Beutler acted alone in the alleged murder of his wife, Tjaden said.
It's unclear if police have recovered the gun thought to have been used in Stacie Beutler's shooting. Reached by phone, the department declined to provide additional information Tuesday.
Prosecutors had not charged Beutler as of Tuesday afternoon.
Beutler, who authorities identified as a York resident, was in prison in Arizona as recently as 2018 after he was convicted of second-degree murder in Maricopa County in 2007, according to state court filings and Arizona Department of Corrections records.
His conviction stemmed from charges filed in April 2007, when Beutler was accused of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted armed robbery and two counts of kidnapping, according to the filings.
Beutler pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted armed robbery and, in exchange, prosecutors dismissed the additional charges against him.
The former Arizona man was sentenced to 18 years in prison and was released in 2018.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or [email protected]
On Twitter @andrewwegley
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