GUILTY NE - Michael Brinkman, 50, murdered in his Omaha home, 23 Dec 2016

[Snick1946]

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/man...cle_5e6abef0-c96c-11e6-8e50-138ef248854d.html

This happened last night just blocks away from us. Something funny about this. To me it has the feel of a hit.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.ketv.com/article/friends...nswers-after-deadly-doorstep-shooting/8535142

Omaha Police are searching for the two white suspects, wearing masks, possibly clown masks, who showed up at Brinkman’s Southwest Omaha home Friday night before six.

Police said the two killers shot Brinkman, 50, on the doorstep of his home on Tammy Trail near 185th and Q streets. Brinkman’s girlfriend and 16 year old son were home at the time...

Brinkman started his own company, Xcel roofing 26 years ago. He recently sold it, ready for retirement.

 

[Snick1946]

My hink meter is going off on this one. It just seems off somehow. Why for example two guys? This doesn't seem to point to it being some angry ex employee of his; a second person most likely would not be induced to go along on something like this. If a robbery I have not seen anything to indicate one occurred. It sounds like he was shot when he went to the door. His 16 year old son and his girlfriend lived there with him.

Local media has been oddly silent on this crime. Nothing at all on most TV outlets after the night it happened. If they had the idea that these perps were running around out there it seems there would have been more of an effort to warn the public.

Here is a posted summary from a local crime website:

https://meanstreetsoma.com/michael-brinkman-homicide-briefing/

Of interest, and this may not be important is the witness description of the perps as two white males then changed to two black males. They may have had their faces hidden however.

This could get interesting.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.ketv.com/article/prayer-walk-held-monday-for-homicide-victim/8536759

Police are investigating the incident as a possible home invasion robbery but have not confirmed that robbery motivated the killing.

KETV Newswatch 7 spoke to Brinkman’s girlfriend on the phone, who said she was there when Brinkman was killed.

She said a gunman also put a gun to her head and demanded her phone. She’s been terrified ever since.

 

[Snick1946]

http://www.ketv.com/article/prayer-walk-held-monday-for-homicide-victim/8536759

For reasons best left unsaid at this point, I question the story we are getting from the people in the house at the time it went down. The woman in the house has been identified variously as his girlfriend and ex wife. If LE were searching for a pair of unknown criminals I think we'd have seen them being more forthcoming than they have been. No composite drawings, etc.

Possibly I have been on here too many years, but this one just smells funny to me.

 

[Snick1946]

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/oma...cle_505b36b8-cdff-11e6-959c-b3d992de4842.html

OPD has released a video purporting to show the killers' car proceeding to and then fleeing the area. Both described as black and wearing masks.

This was a contract killing. . Mr Brinkman was retiring after selling his roofing company for something like ten million dollars. Someone was either mad at him over something or had financial motives.

 

[annamolly]

I was shocked by this story. It makes less sense the more I hear. The media is barely covering it and any other crime of this unusual nature would seem to be getting a lot more coverage here.
I really feel bothered by this. Everything I have read about him makes it sound like he was a great friend and generally caring person. Why would someone just show up and shoot him right before Christmas? That takes a cold-hearted person.
I read he sold his business, but not for that much money. That really has me thinking this was financially motivated. I read his ex-wife say how he was a really good man who took care of his business and bills. I found that phrasing a little odd. Had me wondering what their relationship was like and how long separated. The girlfriend and teen son appears to have been w him when it happened.
I wish more information on the girlfriend/wife would be released. His obituary just lists a spouse, no ex-wife or current girlfriend. I wonder how long he had been separated/divorced or if he was engaged to this new woman. Really not getting much on this story from local media to form a definite lead in my mind. I have a few different theories of who, but they all lead me to think financial gain and a planned hit. Really tragic, especially when it sounds like he was such a nice guy.

 

[Snick1946]

To tell the truth I was half expecting an arrest yesterday following his funeral. I just can't shake the feeling that this was set up by someone close to him with the motive being financial.

This whole thing is murky beyond belief. Is there a girlfriend AND an ex wife or are they one and the same? . I read somewhere that he did well in selling his business, something like $10 million. OPD's handling is starting to remind me of the Dundee murders, everything zipped up with the feeling they are just stumbling around.

 

[AmandaSkis]

The ex-wife quoted in news articles is named Michelle. The spouse listed in his obituary is Kimberly. I find it interesting that the ex wife is quoted in news articles but we read nothing from the current wife.

My speculation is financially motivated murder set up by someone close to Michael.

 

[Elainera]

The ex-wife quoted in news articles is named Michelle. The spouse listed in his obituary is Kimberly. I find it interesting that the ex wife is quoted in news articles but we read nothing from the current wife.

My speculation is financially motivated murder set up by someone close to Michael.

Who is financially benefiting from his death, I wonder? The ex? The current wife/gf? The son?

 

[AmandaSkis]

Who is financially benefiting from his death, I wonder? The ex? The current wife/gf? The son?

I have a feeling the police are looking into those same questions.

 

[Snick1946]

The ex-wife quoted in news articles is named Michelle. The spouse listed in his obituary is Kimberly. I find it interesting that the ex wife is quoted in news articles but we read nothing from the current wife.

My speculation is financially motivated murder set up by someone close to Michael.

Thanks for sorting that out but I think most of us are still confused. Local media has done little to clarify. The female present at the time is still being referred to as his 'girlfriend' by some local media. Whomever she is, she is a person of interest.

Not a coincidence that this happened right after he sold his business and presumably before any proceeds were dispersed.

IMO he was betrayed by someone close to him for the money. All the comments about him focus on how nice he was- perhaps too much for his own good. He probably never saw this coming.

 

[Flatbush]

Just coming in on this one, I think I am caught up.
I feel so bad for this guy. I too believe it was done for his money.
Breaks my heart, it truly does. No amount of money is worth a persons life. We each only have one.
My guess follow the money, like the Dr. Seivers murder in Florida. Sad!


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[SeesSeas]

http://www.kmtv.com/news/local-news/neighborhood-intensely-misses-homicide-victim
Neighborhood intensely misses homicide victim
6:45 PM, Dec 26, 2016
[…]Every person KMTV interviewed about Brinkman say it didn't take long for the longtime roofer to leave a lasting impression on them. […]
Jim Harding bought Brinkman's roofing business in May and spent several months working with him. […]
"Roofing for him is more than just putting shingles on somebody's home, it's a relationship and you don't see it that much in this business, it's very transaction. For Mike, it's personal,” Harding said, owner of Xcel Roofing.
A man described by everyone we talked with as selfless and kind, leaves an impression along Tammy Trail, the street where Brinkman lived and died. […]

 

[liz b.]

I read upthread that he sold the roofing business for $10 MILLION ? I wonder if this is the going rate for a local business in Omaha ?

 

[SeesSeas]

This was a contract killing. . Mr Brinkman was retiring after selling his roofing company for something like ten million dollars. Someone was either mad at him over something or had financial motives.

^^ RSBM
Re: Mr Brinkman was retiring after selling his roofing company for something like ten million dollars.
I don’t find any information about a $10 million sale price of Brinkman’s business Xcel Roofing.
Link please.

 

[SeesSeas]

Hopefully, police photo enhancements can ID the license plate of the suspect vehicle. Perhaps a tag isn’t on the vehicle? I can’t tell.

The Dodge Durango rear lights changed in 2014, so LE can do a database search of every 2014 to 2017 Dodge Durango in the vicinity.
https://www.google.com/#q=dodge+durango+rear+photos

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/oma...cle_505b36b8-cdff-11e6-959c-b3d992de4842.html
Updated Dec 30, 2016
Omaha police released three photos of a Dodge Durango they say was used by two men who killed a Millard man. . .

 

[Flatbush]

I certainly don't mean to sound rude or disrespectful in any way. Why do LE wait so many days to release pictures such as this.
Reason I say this, I am not young anymore. I can remember stuff such as a vehicle drawing my attention for a day or two, but a week.. It would have to had been an encounter with it, such as a fender bender for me to remember. Just seeing it in passing nearly a week earlier I would not be able to recollect. That's just me...just tossing it out here.
On a higher note, hopefully someone with a better memory than mine WILL remember. I do pray they catch those responsible.

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[annamolly]

I agree about how the photos of the car should have been made available much sooner. I feel like a better lead would have been generated.

I searched local marriage licenses and there was no match for him w anyone named Kim. So that has me thinking maybe she was referred to as his wife, but legally was not. Curious if he had a will. I would have to think so if he was looking at that much money. This is so sad for him. I hope justice is swift.

 

[Snick1946]

^^ RSBM
Re: Mr Brinkman was retiring after selling his roofing company for something like ten million dollars.
I don’t find any information about a $10 million sale price of Brinkman’s business Xcel Roofing.
Link please.

I absolutely know I read that in one of the articles in local media but now cannot find it. Perhaps it was edited because it may have been erroneous. It shocked me at the time. We do know he sold his franchise just before being killed. Almost certainly enough was generated to make him a target for someone close to him to want to have him out of the way.

If indeed that is what happened, the audacity is stunning. It would seem so obvious, any rational person would have to think they'd get caught. I wonder if LE is checking out his son's connections?