Westerhuis Update: Missing Safe, Mysterious Call and White Truck

Several questions have lingered since the official reports were given to the public regarding the death of Scott Westerhuis and his family at their home near Platte.

Attorney General Marty Jackley has addressed these concerns with a follow up report:

Video of White Pickup
On the morning of September 17th, 2015, an individual driving a white pickup with a trailer delivered a load of pheasants from a farm in Gregory County to a pheasant hunting preserve north of Platte. Law enforcement has reviewed the gas station surveillance video of the vehicle coming and going through Platte, interviewed the driver of the truck, the pheasant raiser, and obtained the invoice from the day of delivery. The route is consistent with the video, including the trip to the hunting preserve and on the return trip having the pheasant crates empty and stacked up and ratcheted down. All individuals involved have been cooperative with law enforcement.
The 2:57 a.m. call from the Westerhuis landline to Nicole Westerhuis’ cell phone
Phone records demonstrate a call from the Westerhuis landline to Nicole Westerhuis’ cell phone. The call began at 2:57:54 and ended at 2:58:37, lasting 43 seconds. It is believed that Nicole’s cell phone device and any voice message on the device were destroyed in the fire. On September 24th, 2015, seven days after the tragic incident, MCEC deactivated Scott and Nicole’s cellular telephones. Verizon, as the carrier, contracts with a third-party to provide voice messaging service. The third-party only retains voice messaging while a cell phone is active. Once the deactivation occurred, the actual voice message could not be retrieved by the third-party carrier. Further investigation has confirmed the installation of an automation alarm system in the Westerhuis residence approximately three-years ago. The fire alarm system is tied to the residence’s landline. The system was programmed to first call Scott Westerhuis’ cell phone and then Nicole Westerhuis’ cell phone in the event of a fire alarm. Consistent with the alarm programming the first call came to Scott Westerhuis’ cell phone at 2:56:35 and ended at 2:57:45. Nine seconds later came the second call to Nicole’s cell phone starting at 2:57:54 and ended at 2:58:34. Although the voice mail on Nicole’s actual cell phone is believed to be destroyed and Verizon’s third-party carrier did not maintain the actual voice mail message, the follow-up investigation with the alarm installation company has confirmed that the call from the Westerhuis’ landline to both cell phones in the order programmed would have been consistent
with and in all likelihood the automated alarm notification.

Safety or lock deposit boxes
The investigation has involved two safety or lock deposit boxes. First, there was a bank deposit box that had been obtained by Scott Westerhuis. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on November 11th, 2015, in relation to the safety deposit box. Although the Search Warrant Return has been filed, consistent with the Order to Seal it is not appropriate to disclose the specific contents at this time. Generally, there was nothing of evidentiary value in relation to the death investigation. At different times witnesses have also described a safe or lock box contained in various locations on the Westerhuis property. It is generally described as a small, portable, gray safe or lock box. Law enforcement has on two separate occasions, when processing the fire scene and subsequent search,
specifically looked in the location areas witnesses described. Based upon statements from witnesses, the safe is believed to be similar in nature to the SentrySafe 1100 Fire-safe chest that provides only a ½ hour of fire protection. Safes of this nature generally have limited fire protection capability based upon amount of heat and duration. In the event the public has any further information regarding the safe of this general description including surrounding its purchase, we are kindly requesting it be provided  to law enforcement.