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Hills Bank Statement on Former Employee Steve Sueppel

Staff Reports

By Justin Foss

HILLS - This is a sad and tragic day for the family of Sheryl and Steve Sueppel and all who know and care about them. On behalf of the bank we want to express our heartfelt sadness for the events that occurred earlier today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they grieve the loss of their family members.

Hills Bank & Trust Company
Media Statement
March 24, 2008

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 9:58 PM Sorry for your loss wrote ...

My heart goes out to all whom knew the family and to the community. My heart goes out to the officers and paramedics whom had to go to the scene of the crime. Nothing in this world can prepare them for something this tragic. God Bless all of you. May God help you in this terible time. I think that the bank did the right thing by putting out their letter. Noone intends for these sort of things to happen even your worst enemy you wouldnt wish this sort of thing on. I feel they were sincere

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 9:01 PM EagleOne wrote ...

My heart and prayers go out to everyone involved in this incident. People, this tragedy did not happen overnight. It began long before this, before the arrest, before the embezzlement. Let it be a wake up call to those struggling with addictions of any kind; do not let pride, fear or anything get in the way of seeking the help. Anyone whose ever withdrawn from a drug can tell you, it makes a person feel insane. Lord have mercy!

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 6:32 PM sad wrote ...

this was my friend's family in fact her in-laws. You should have seen their faces when they heard about this. Just like being hit by a mack truck. You never know why things like this happens even so close to home. But they have God in their lives and thats the only thing that is keeping their family together is the Lord and keeping them going. But her husband is really struggeling even the loss of his one and only sister and his neices and nephews.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 4:04 PM In Reply to Shadowboxer.... wrote ...

"Perhaps it was because he was accused of a crime before he had an opportunity to defend himself?" - Yes, that is how it works. You are accused of a crime and then you go to trial to defend yourself. Sadly he chose the wrong way out, and for reasons that will never be known took his innocent family with him. It saddens me that people feel the need to take their lives anyway, but it really saddens me when they take others with them.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 3:49 PM Stacy wrote ...

I think in a time like this, it is so easy for the negative to come out in folks that are so fortunate to not have to personally experience such a tragedy. The most important message that should be being addressed is the sorrow to the family members left behind w/o answers to so many questions they must have. I pray that this family may be lifted the heavy weight that has been put upon their hearts. It cant be said enough, that every word we speak, every action we show, it DOES affect others.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 11:36 AM Shadowboxer wrote ...

Although this tragic event did not make the New York papers, I would like you all to know how saddened many of us are to learn that this man was diven to such extreme action. Perhaps it was because he was accused of a crime before he had an opportunity to defend himself?

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 10:54 AM they care wrote ...

If the Hills Bank and Trust employees were not effected or if the bank didn't care about all of their employees, then why would they have had councelors at the bank for their staff?

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 8:32 AM JDH wrote ...

This is a tragic event and my prayers are with the family and friends. Hopefully they will find peace soon. This event shows that under the right circumstances anyone can snap and do things nobody would expect.As to the banks comment. I think they care.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 7:47 AM Bonnie NIsly wrote ...

I worked at Hills BAnk many years ago and I remember Steve and his two older boys. He loved them alot. Also Hills Bank is a family oriented bank and their statement was very sincere. Do be negative in a time when the families need all of our support.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 1:06 AM Trish wrote ...

At this point, the money doesn't matter and is a moot point. There is no price for the lives of these 6 people. Regardless of his guilt or innocence, he was a person who was hurting desperately and we can only guess how it hurt him to see his family hurt and possibly humiliated. God be with them all and my prayers go out to the family.

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 12:33 AM Anonymous wrote ...

To the so called Vet. 5 innocent people were murdered today let's keep that in mind here. To the rest of these comments just because you the Bank may not agree with what their former employee did, does not mean they do not care for this family and the former employer

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Tuesday, Mar 25 at 12:13 AM marke wrote ...

Did anyone think that Steve could have stolen the money to support a compulsive gambling addiction. And the the guilt and shame were too much as the trial date loomed just ahead. From a compulsive gambler who walked down the same road and I got the help I needed before I did something just as tragic.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 11:55 PM deb b wrote ...

to the families, may you find comfort in knowing others care.may the Lord be with you in your time of mourning.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 10:56 PM Military Vet wrote ...

It's funny that you think Hills Bank is the best. I happen to be an Iraq Vet. When I returned i had two interviews with them and they left a message on my answering machine stating that since i could not work one weekend out of the month due to military obligations and that the position was given to someone else. (THOES WERE THE EXACT WORDS) They are vet haters in my book.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 10:43 PM yea right wrote ...

so if you were a huge part of a bank and one of your employees stole half a million dollars from you...no hard feelings? please get real!

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Monday, Mar 24 at 10:29 PM Iowa City resident wrote ...

Anyone with any familiarity with Hills Bank's management knows how strongly they value family. Steve and Sheryl were very close friends with many people at the bank, and the whole situation, even before today's tragic events, has caused a great deal of pain to many people there. My heart goes out to them all.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 10:03 PM CH wrote ...

In response to "yea right",there are people everywhere who genuinely care for others and people who do not. There is no way to generalize that "they" are upset about money. Would "yea write" have had something negative to say if Hills bank hadn't made a comment?

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Monday, Mar 24 at 9:56 PM Shannon wrote ...

I think Hills Bank shows a lot of class and respect in this statement. They could have remained silent and said nothing however they addressed the situation. Regardless of what their feelings were towards Steve Sueppel, I don't doubt that they view the loss of Mrs. Sueppel and her children as a great tragedy. In the grand scheme of things, the monetary loss doesn't even come CLOSE to the loss of a loved one.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 9:14 PM Jennifer Beck wrote ...

In report to the person who wrote that they were sorry for the loss of the loved ones, but on the other hand doesn't think that the Hills Bank Company really cares about the family but only if they get the money that they want. I think that statement shouldn't of been accepted. If people want to write their sympathy towards other people the person writing should not write negative things to the people or the companies. All I am saying is that please be respectful to others during a loss.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 8:57 PM mark wrote ...

"yea right" you really are out of touch with the facts regarding the bank situation. sueppel was a bonded employee and all the funds lost were replaced. no hills bank customer lost a penny nor did any of the banks shareholders. so i hardly think the bank's motive for extending sympathy was out of concern for money. hills bank has a great reputation in the entire johnson, washington and linn county areas as being very people oriented. don't try to make it appear otherwise.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 8:51 PM JH wrote ...

"The company on the other hand cares about business, and I doubt the sincerity of this release." Yeah, you're right. No one cares when innocent women and children are killed in our community...

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Monday, Mar 24 at 8:29 PM bankboy wrote ...

the FDIC protects the bank as well as liability insurance. This is a tragic event that will add to IOWA's too long list of tragedy. My familes heart goes out to this family. God bless those left behind to pick up the many pieces of this tragic event.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 8:12 PM Guy wrote ...

This has been a tragic series of events for those close to the family. It's still hard to come to terms with it. His children always seemed happy. The company on the other hand cares about business, and I doubt the sincerity of this release.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 7:53 PM Keith Frink wrote ...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families involved in this tragic incident. Far be it from us to try and discern what was going thru Steve's mind as he committed these horrendous acts. Thank God others were not hurt as he scurried to his climactic end. We pray for those left behind who have to endure the outcome of this tribulation.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 7:49 PM Amanda wrote ...

Have some compasion, yae right....do you know how it feels to lose some one? No matter how you lose them, it is a terrifying situation of emotional turmoil. Have respect and sympathy before you cast your feelings and opinions, possibly next time you could practice some better judgement.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 7:45 PM Regina Utz wrote ...

My experience with Hills Bank & Trust Company tells me that the media statement they issued is from the heart of the bank and its employees. Hills Bank and Trust Company is a very family and community oriented business: there is no doubt in my mind that each and every employee at Hills Bank and Trust Company feels sadness for the events that happened earlier. Tragedy does not go by zip code: Johnson County & Washington County are ideal places to live. May the Lord be with the families.

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Monday, Mar 24 at 7:00 PM Angels among us wrote ...

these poor innocents...how very sad,,,,Iowa City has had its share of white collar crime. Someone from the famous Writers Workshop should research what is in the water around the town....how can such an idyllic town have so much tragedy.....tears are in Heaven for those precious children and wife......

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Monday, Mar 24 at 6:30 PM billybobjoe wrote ...

that was really sad incident

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Monday, Mar 24 at 6:28 PM yea right wrote ...

underneath it all they are upset that they will never see a dime of the money stolen from them. this is a way for them to better themselves!

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