Robert Brannon

Robert Brannon, a 33-year-old Black man from Omaha, was shot and killed in downtown Lincoln just after midnight on Sunday, September 25, 2022. Officers were dispatched to an alley near 19th and O Streets around 12:06 a.m., where they found Mr. Brannon with multiple gunshot wounds. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators recovered surveillance video that captured the fatal encounter. The footage showed Mr. Brannon and another man, 22-year-old Jahhrasta S. Fletcher, meeting in the alley near The Foxy Gentlemen’s Club. According to an arrest affidavit, Mr. Brannon lunged at Fletcher, who then pulled out a handgun and fired. Mr. Brannon returned fire before falling to the ground. The video then showed Fletcher stepping closer and firing again at close range. An autopsy later confirmed Mr. Brannon died from several gunshot wounds to his chest and head. Police found shell casings from two different handguns at the scene, along with one firearm under Mr. Brannon’s body.

The day after the shooting, Lincoln police arrested Jahhrasta Fletcher and charged him with first-degree murder. As the investigation continued, two more men were taken into custody in early October. Jahhfarr Fletcher, 20, was arrested for being an accessory to a felony, tampering with physical evidence, and tampering with a witness. Said Salahuddin, 27, was arrested on a charge of accessory to a felony.

In June 2023, the case took a significant turn when the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss the first-degree murder charge against Jahhrasta Fletcher. The county attorney stated that after a thorough review of all evidence, including detailed forensic video analysis, prosecutors did not believe they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Fletcher was not acting in self-defense. The dismissal of the murder charge also impacted the accessory charges filed against the other two men.

While the murder charge was dropped, Jahhrasta Fletcher still faced other criminal charges. In January 2024, he pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence in connection with Robert Brannon’s death, admitting he had destroyed the gun, burned clothing, and deleted surveillance video from the scene. Fletcher also pleaded guilty to separate, unrelated weapons and drug charges. He was sentenced to a total of 37 to 47 years in prison. As of that sentencing, the homicide of Robert Brannon remains officially unsolved.