Suspect arrested after Nebraska deacon found murdered, police say

Local police have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of a Catholic deacon in the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, this week.

The Omaha Police Officers Association said in a March 13 Facebook post that a “person of interest” was taken into custody on March 12 after Deacon John Zak was reportedly murdered the previous night.

Zak “was an active member of the community and a deacon at St. Peter’s Catholic Church” in the city’s Leavenworth neighborhood, the police association said.

Father John Broheimer, the pastor of St. Peter’s, said in a statement on the parish website that Zak had been a member of the parish for more than 30 years and served as a deacon there for 25 years.

“Through his ministry he touched countless lives, especially the young people of our parish, whom he served with generosity and sincere faith,” the pastor said.

The priest urged parishioners to pray for Zak’s family and to “support them with your charity in the days ahead.”

Police had not publicly identified a motive in the killing as of March 13, but local news reports said a “family member” named Martin Zak had been booked in local jail on homicide and felony theft charges.

Jail records showed that an individual named Martin Zak was being held without bond.

In a statement, Omaha Archbishop Michael McGovern said he was “saddened” to learn of Zakʼs “tragic death.”

“As law enforcement continues investigating, please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Deacon Zak, for his family and for the St. Peter parish community in this difficult time,” the archbishop said.

Update: This story was updated on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 4:10 p.m. ET with a statement from Omaha Archbishop Michael McGovern.

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