Dateline: Evil Intent - What happened to Jessica Nelson? Disturbing details of a 2015 homicide revealed 

In the Dateline: Evil Intent segment about the sad death of Jessica Nelson, the wicked facts behind her murder were unraveled, and the case, full of violence and betrayal, was highlighted.

Jessica (also spelled Jessyka) Nelson, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, was discovered dead within her own apartment on June 25, 2015. Her death uncovered a vicious story of s*xual assault and murder that resulted in the conviction of a close friend, Matthew Kidder.

It was first suspected to be an overdose, but as the case went on, it emerged that Jessica had not died accidentally. The Dateline: Evil Intent presented an extensive examination of the scandalous conditions under which she died a premature death and evidence that linked Kidder to the incident. The events leading up to Jessica's last night, the discovery of her body, were all revealed.

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The discovery of Jessica's body and the preliminary investigation

As shown in Dateline: Evil Intent, Jessica Nelson was discovered dead in the bathtub at her Omaha residence, 83rd and Miami Street, on June 25, 2015. At first, seeming like an overdose, within a matter of hours, the case turned into a homicide investigation as evidence started piling up, indicating something was wrong.

It later proved to be the case that Jessica had been killed by strangulation using a cell phone cord, and DNA samples removed from beneath her fingernails and on the cord itself implicated Matthew Kidder, a man who had become close friends with Jessica as children.

Although initially her death seemed to have been due to an overdose, a closer examination of the scene and the wounds on the victim revealed more sinister facts. The police found that Jessica's death was not only due to strangulation but also due to r*pe. The revelation completely changed the course of the investigation, which eventually pointed at someone close to Jessica—Matthew Kidder.

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Matthew Kidder and the evidence against him

Dateline: Evil Intent depicted Matthew Kidder as a friend of Jessica's family who had known her for years. He was arrested when DNA linked him to the crime scene. Investigators concluded that DNA under Jessica's fingernails matched Kidder's, and that his DNA was on the cord of the cellular phone used to murder her.

Apart from the physical evidence, Kidder subsequently admitted to having committed the act, though his admission was accompanied by conflicting information that was corroborated by other circumstantial evidence. The DNA evidence, Kidder's confession, and the crime scene painted a grim picture of premeditated violence.

The fact that Jessica and Kidder had been intimate friends for so long added an extra element of shock to the crime. The betrayal of one who had been so close to Jessica was a shocking discovery that shocked her family and the public as well.

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The legal process and sentencing

Dateline: Evil Intent revealed that Matthew Kidder was charged with first-degree murder and use of a weapon in the trial for causing the death of Jessica. His prosecution included presentation of DNA evidence, a confession, and circumstantial evidence confirming the prosecution's case.

The facts of the offense and the heinous nature of victim-perpetrator relationships, coupled with graphic details thereof, made it easy to give credibility to and subscribe to a telling and pitiable narrative.

Dateline: Evil Intent also showed that Kidder was convicted of first-degree murder and criminal use of a weapon in the crime in 2016. He received a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. However, an appeal was filed, and the sentence was overturned in favor of a harsher sentence for the charge of weapons, while the life sentence for murder was left in place.

Although the guilty verdict was reached, the emotional effect of Jessica's death on her family and community remained long after the trial had concluded.

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Jessica Nelson's death case, as shown in Dateline: Evil Intent. The episode gives a detailed examination of what led to her death and the guilty verdict against Matthew Kidder. While her loved ones still cry for her, the case has highlighted the barren impact violence has when it occurs in familiar groups of people.

The fact that Kidder was convicted of a first-degree murder charge and given a life sentence gives some measure of justice. Still, it is a foregone conclusion that the demise of Jessica has caused a lasting emotional scar on her loved ones and society.

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