The man accused of killing a Columbus woman and leaving her remains in a field had his first day in court Tuesday in Clay County. Anthony Mattison, 35, of Osceola has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Jasmine Garnett. Her body was found in October 2022 in a Clay County field. Garnett’s family said Mattison was the last person to see Jasmine alive about a month before her remains were found.
At Mattison’s opening hearing, Tuesday, May 14, in Clay County court, the honorable judge, Michael P. Burns read the charges to Mattison including first degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and improper disposal of human remains.
Burns set Mattison’s bond at $2 million. Burns also said a public defender would be appointed to represent Mattison. A lawyer from the Nebraska Attorney General’s office will prosecute. Mattison’s next hearing in the case is set for Tuesday, May 28.
Mattison also faces charges for various crimes in Hall and Platte counties. He’s charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, terroristic threats, and two weapons charges in connection with a shootout with Hastings police. He was accused of firing a gun at Hastings police officers.
According to reports, the incident happened about 10 days after Garnett was reported missing. After being ruled incompetent to stand trial on the Hastings charges, Mattison was treated at the Lincoln Regional Center (LRC). In April, after reviewing reports from the LRC, a judge ruled Mattison fit for trial in that case.
CHARGES FILED APRIL 24 In a press release issued by the Nebraska Attorney General’s office Wednesday, April 24, Mattison,was been charged in Clay County Court for the murder of Jasmine Garnett, which occurred in September of 2022 outside Harvard. Garnett was found deceased on Oct. 5, 2022.
Mattison is charged with one count of first-degree murder, a Class I or IA felony; one count of use of a firearm to commit a felony, a Class IC felony; one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a Class ID felony; and one count of improper disposal of human skeletal remains, a Class IV felony.
The Nebraska State Patrol is the lead law enforcement investigative agency in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by the Clay County Attorney’s Office with the assistance of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
According to reports, Mattison was the last person to see Garnett alive about a month prior to her remains being found in the Harvard area, by a person working in on Road 26, near Harvard’s sewer lagoons. at the time the remains were located, the body of a woman was presumed to be 25-year-old Garnett, who had been missing since Sept. 16.
Mattison was ruled to be incompetent to stand trial on the Hastings charges. He was treated at the Lincoln Regional Center, and last month, after reviewing reports from the Regional Center, a judge ruled that Mattison was fit for trial.
