Town file
Yutan, Nebraska
Yutan, Nebraska (Saunders County, Nebraska) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 622, "Covering Your Murder Tracks" (15 August 2025). Sandra 'Sandy' Schnabel was born on 18 February 1959 in Central City, Nebraska and raised in Hordeville.
- Town
- Yutan
- County
- Saunders County
- State
- Nebraska
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 622
- Approximate location
- 41.243, -96.396
Episode 622 / 15 August 2025 / 73 min / express
Covering Your Murder Tracks
"we are going to utan nebraska ... this is in eastern nebraska ... saunders county" about 0:04:16
The case: Murder of Sandy Schnabel (May 21-22, 1999). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 1,304
- Median household income
- $76,094
- Median home value
- $306,900
History, in brief
- Yutan was originally called Clear Creek and was platted in 1876 when a railroad was extended there. about 0:05:58
- It was renamed Yutan in 1884 after an Indian chief in the area named Itan (i-e-t-a-n). about 0:06:14
- On Easter Sunday 1913 a tornado outbreak tore the town apart; a church was left leaning over. about 0:06:23
- In 2017 the town had severe flooding from heavy rains. about 0:06:54
- The town's motto is 'a great place to grow' and its nickname is 'home of the Chieftains', after the high school mascot. about 0:05:27
- The town is known for being heavily into high school sports culture. about 0:07:07
The reviews read out
5 stars
"The school system is great and has a very child-friendly environment."about 0:07:34
5 stars
"Doesn't have many stores but Omaha is 15 minutes away; some of the highest test scores in the state; happy they chose for their child to live there."about 0:08:05
1 star
"Trashy place, trashy people, some of the most immature people ever met, no work ethic, no consistency, lots of drugs."about 0:08:35
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Murdock, Nebraska23 miles
- Alvo, Nebraska26 miles
- Lyons, Nebraska48 miles
- Wilber, Nebraska60 miles
- Shenandoah, Iowa63 miles
- Emerson, Nebraska74 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.