Bellevue murderer sentenced to life dies while incarcerated

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - A man sentenced to life in prison for murdering a fellow carnival worker died Thursday evening at the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln.

Michael Gunther, 67, began his sentence in April of 2005. According to WOWT 6 News archives, Gunther killed Michael Zawodny in the spring of 2004 after the two had a dispute. When Gunther was sentenced to life in prison, Sarpy County Judge William Zastera said he would personally write a letter to the parole board urging that Gunther be denied parole if he ever became eligible for it.

When he was sentenced, Gunther was also facing first degree murder charges in Pottawattamie County for the death of Sally Kennedy, of Council Bluffs. Her body was found hours after Zawodny’s death. At the time, investigators believed the two deaths were linked.

Gunther’s cause of death has not yet been determined. He was being treated for a medical condition at RTC. Under state law, a grand jury will be required to investigate his death.