Crime
Eric Bechtolt Killed After Shooting at Florence Tower in Omaha, Suspect Billy Dorrall Arrested
Omaha, NE – On Sunday evening, Omaha Police Department officers responded to an active shooting at Florence Tower, located at 5100 Florence Blvd, following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire inside the building.
The first reports were received at 6:05 p.m., with at least three separate callers stating they had heard shots fired on the fifth or sixth floor of the apartment complex.
By 6:14 p.m., a fourth caller reported seeing a male suspect walking on the sixth floor carrying two handguns.
Uniform Patrol officers arrived on scene at 6:11 p.m. and began a floor-by-floor search of the building, starting from the fifth floor.
As officers ascended the south stairwell toward the sixth floor, they heard sounds of a disturbance.
Just as they neared the sixth-floor door, it was abruptly opened by a male suspect — later identified as 50-year-old Billy A. Dorrall.
At that moment, one officer discharged their service weapon, striking Dorrall in the left hip.
In response, Dorrall fired back down the stairwell and then retreated into the sixth-floor hallway.
Once back in the hallway, Dorrall reportedly fired multiple rounds, aiming both up and down the corridor, and threatened several residents at gunpoint.
A coordinated arrest team, equipped with a ballistic shield, moved into position while officers in the stairwell maintained containment. As they prepared to enter the hallway, officers heard additional gunfire.
The arrest team entered the hallway, issued loud verbal commands, and Dorrall surrendered without further incident.
He was immediately provided medical treatment by Omaha Fire Department personnel and transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He has since been released into police custody.
During the investigation, officers recovered surveillance footage from building cameras, which was provided by the Omaha Housing Authority.
The footage shows Dorrall behaving erratically and confronting residents before engaging in a verbal altercation with another tenant, identified as 45-year-old Eric M. Bechtolt.
The video shows Dorrall returning to his apartment, retrieving a firearm, and shooting Bechtolt multiple times in the hallway. Responding officers later found Bechtolt deceased outside the stairwell door.
Dorrall was interviewed by detectives and provided a full confession, admitting to the murder of Bechtolt.
He also expressed an intent to kill additional residents and responding officers had he not been stopped.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement commending the officers involved:
“I want to commend the officers who responded to this incredibly dangerous situation. Their training, courage, and swift response undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. What unfolded at Florence Tower was tragic, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Bechtolt. Our officers acted heroically under extreme pressure, and I am proud of their commitment to protecting the residents of Omaha.”
The department has released still images from surveillance footage, showing Dorrall armed with two handguns, along with crime scene photographs of the weapons, ammunition, and spent shell casings recovered from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Elgin Public Schools Teacher Holly Hill Dies From Complications Two Years After Drinking Poisoned Margarita
ELGIN, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has launched a formal investigation into the death of Holly Hill, a 30-year-old teacher, wife, and mother from Elgin, Oklahoma, who died last week from long-term medical complications reportedly caused by ingesting a poisoned margarita at a local restaurant in 2023.
OSBI officials confirmed that the investigation began at the request of Comanche County District Attorney Kyle Cabelka following Hill’s death on Thursday.
According to Hill’s family, her health issues began on Valentine’s Day 2023, when she dined at Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill in Elgin.
During the evening, Hill ordered a second margarita that, unbeknownst to her, contained a highly caustic industrial cleaning chemical rather than the intended cocktail ingredients.
“Her mouth was on fire, and she knew something wasn’t right,” recalled Kelly Hunter, Hill’s mother. “She immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom, started throwing up, and rinsing her mouth out with water.”
The ingestion caused severe internal burns to Hill’s esophagus and digestive tract, leading to two years of intense medical treatment.
Hill underwent more than 60 medical procedures, including repeated esophageal dilations and surgeries, as doctors attempted to repair the extensive damage.
Despite her deteriorating health, Hill continued teaching at Elgin Public Schools, where she was described as a dedicated educator loved by her students and colleagues.
In the days leading up to her death, Hill’s family believed she was finally recovering.
On October 17, doctors reportedly told them that her esophagus appeared to be healing. However, her condition suddenly worsened, and she went into cardiac arrest as medical staff prepared to transfer her. “As they were trying to get her ready to transport her, they lost her pulse,” Hunter said.
Hill’s family previously filed a civil lawsuit against Hacienda Las Margaritas, which was settled confidentially earlier this year, according to their attorney.
Following her death, the family is renewing calls for accountability and public awareness.
“The number one thing we really want at this point is for people to be aware of what happened at that restaurant and to quit supporting them,” Hunter said. “We want them to be held accountable for taking my daughter’s life. It might have been a long fight, but ultimately, they are the cause.”
The restaurant has not issued a recent public statement regarding Hill’s death. In a 2023 social media post, management wrote:
“We have never walked away from responsibility and will continue to support them in any way possible while our insurance company is on the case.”
Local officials confirmed that Elgin Police requested assistance from OSBI, and investigators are now reviewing evidence related to the original 2023 incident and Hill’s recent death.
In a statement, Elgin Public Schools expressed deep sorrow over Hill’s passing, describing her as “an Owl through and through” and asking the community to keep her family in their thoughts and prayers.
Hill leaves behind her husband and young child, as well as a community still reeling from a tragedy that began with what should have been an ordinary night out.