Man accused of killing and dismembering girlfriend is tied to disappearance of second woman

A Minnesota man accused of murdering his girlfriend and dumping her dismembered stays in an ice cooler has been linked to the disappearance of a second woman, authorities say.

Joseph Jorgenson, 40, was arrested final week throughout a standoff with police as they raided his Maplewood residence in search of Manijeh “Mani” Starren, 34, who had been reported lacking on 1 Could, the Saint Paul Police Division stated.

Mr Jorgenson was initially charged three felonies together with arson and making an attempt to disarm a police officer by taking his AR-15 rifle after resisting arrest.

Police analysed surveillance video at on the condo, and discovered that Starren tried to flee the handle on 21 April. She was by no means seen alive once more.

Her stays had been discovered wrapped in plastic luggage in a cooler at a storage facility in Woodbury that had been rented within the identify of Mr Jorgenson’s roommate, in accordance to court documents.

After charging Mr Jorgenson with second diploma homicide, St Paul police stated they maintain grave fears for  Fanta Xayavong, 33, who was final seen with him earlier than her disappearance in 2021.

“To place it bluntly, we’re involved for her security additionally,” Saint Paul Police Division spokesman Sergeant Mike Ernster told a press convention Friday.

Ms Xayavong is described as 5’4’ and 120 kilos, and her final recognized location was Shoreview, police stated.

In accordance to a prison criticism, police studied Mr Jorgenson’s social media posts, ATM transactions, and telephone exercise after receiving a lacking individuals report for Starren, a mom of three.

They discovered footage from 21 April that confirmed her boyfriend chase her out of the handle and push her again in, police stated.

“Jorgenson is the one one which comes out of that unit, and Mani is by no means seen once more,” Mr Ernster stated. “He didn’t report her lacking to police. As a substitute, he simply went on together with his life with out saying something to anybody.”

The criticism states that Mr Jorgenson was seen carrying two duffle luggage and a suitcase from her condo, and loading them right into a choose up truck.

Crime scene technicians detected massive quantities blood on a settee and within the flooring of the lounge and kitchen indicating somebody had been “severely injured or killed” on the handle.

In depth efforts had been made to strive to clear up the condo, the prison criticism said. Police consider Mr Jorgenson bought cleansing provides on Starren’s financial institution playing cards from a Greenback Tree retailer.

His web search historical past allegedly confirmed he had appeared up “jugular”, how to clear cookies from an Android telephone, what police do with lacking individual studies and “lime for soil”, which can be utilized to velocity up physique decomposition.

Investigators additionally discovered disturbing messages despatched by Mr Jorgenson to the lacking woman on Fb, in accordance to the affidavit.

In a single written days earlier than her disappearance, he wrote: “Hope u die of a kidney an infection u b**** c*** horrible f****** mom.”

When police raided his residence on 26 June, police stated Mr Jorgenson tried to barricade himself in his bed room and allegedly began a fireplace.

After police sprayed a chemical irritant into the room, he allegedly ran out yelling that he had a weapon and was going to kill officers. 

In accordance to an affidavit, he advised police Starren struggled with drug habit and was supposed to have checked herself right into a remedy facility.

Starren’s household have arrange a GoFundMe account to cowl her funeral bills.

“We additionally can’t fathom the ache the household is feeling at this level, however we do hope that this investigation’s consequence wil deliver them some degree of solace,” Mr Ernster said on Friday.