College professor from Monroeville, wife slain in Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. — A Creighton University professor who grew up in Monroeville and his wife were slain this week at their home in Nebraska, police in Omaha said.

No arrests have been made in the killings of Dr. Roger A. Brumback, 65, and his wife, Mary, whose bodies were found Tuesday, authorities said. Police won't say how the couple was killed, but said the case was being investigated as a double homicide.

“He was a good guy. He was the last person in the world you would think something like that would happen to. He was a good guy,” said Jim Fox, a high school classmate of Brumback.

Brumback, who was planning to retire in a few weeks and move to West Virginia, was a 1965 graduate of Gateway High School. He was selected as 2001 Alumni Fellow of the Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine.

He was a noted researcher in Alzheimer's disease and served as chairman of the Pathology Department of the Creighton University School of Medicine from 2001-2010.

He worked as a staff neurologist in 1977-78 at UPMC Presbyterian and Children's Hospital. He also served as a clinical instructor in neurology and pediatrics during that time at the University of Pittsburgh.

“You just knew he was the type of guy who was going to make a difference in people's lives. He was dedicated,” said Fox.

No suspects in the killings have been named.

“I hope whoever did it, they catch him. It's just really a shame,” said Fox.

Brumback was the best man in Dr. E. Steve Roach’s wedding.

Roach, a pediatric expert at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said the Brumbacks were two of the nicest, most down to earth, genuine people he knew.

Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.

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