The boyfriend of the missing mother of three was arrested after police found her mutilated body hidden in a Minnesota vault, according to a St. Paul Police Department press release. .
Joseph S. Jorgenson, 40, after police discovered the dismembered body of 33-year-old Manije “Mani” Starlen hidden in various coolers and bags inside a vault in Woodbury. has been charged with murder, Fox News reported. report Tuesday. Ms Stalen was last seen by her family in April but was officially declared missing on May 1. according to Police press release.
St. Paul Police have identified the body of a woman found in a storage facility as Manije “Mani” Staren, 34, who went missing in April.
Her boyfriend, Joseph Stephen Jorgenson, 40, was charged with second-degree murder and another arson charge, and police were disarmed… pic.twitter.com/YytSyngeiL— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) June 30, 2023
In the days after Stalen’s disappearance, Jorgenson was seen on surveillance footage of him entering Stalen’s apartment 28 times with his keys. CCTV footage taken on April 28 showed him leaving Starlen’s apartment with two duffel bags and a suitcase, Fox reported. (Related: Mother’s missing case, husband refused bail and new details revealed on suspicion of amputation)
As police continue to investigate Mr. Stalen’s disappearance, Google data attributed to Mr. Jorgenson showed him searching for his “cervical vertebrae” and how police are responding to missing person reports. It turned out to indicate an online inquiry as to whether lime was being used to accelerate the decomposition of the corpse. , according to an affidavit shared by the outlet.
In the affidavit, police found extensive blood stains in the living room, kitchen and cracked TV in Stalen’s apartment, concluding that “someone was killed or seriously injured in the apartment”. It is said that
In mid-May, neighbors complained of a “foul smell” emanating from Jorgenson’s apartment, and building management staff reported that Jorgensen was dragging a large duffel bag out of the apartment, prompting police to follow suit. obtained a search warrant for Jorgenson’s residence. According to affidavits, it was as if they were “carrying a corpse.”
When police arrived at Jorgenson’s home, he allegedly locked himself in his bedroom and tried to set it on fire. When members of the SWAT team burst through the door, Jorgenson assaulted them and attempted to take their weapons, but was arrested and taken into custody on charges of arson, threatening violence and disarming police officers. According to his affidavit, investigators later found a large pool of blood in his bedroom closet and attempted to start a fire there.
Police were led to a storage facility during an ongoing investigation into Mr Stalen’s disappearance, the document said, where they encountered an overwhelming stench of “rotten meat”. According to a press release, Mr. Stalen’s body was positively identified on June 29, and Mr. Jorgenson was charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Following the discovery of Mr. Stalen’s dismembered body, police have placed Ms. Jorgenson on alert for the disappearance of another woman, 33-year-old Fanta Zayavong, who was last seen with Ms. Jorgenson in July 2021. Fox reported that it was announced that it was a person. “She is certainly related to Jorgenson and, frankly, we are also concerned for her safety,” said the St. Paul Police Sergeant. According to the newspaper, Mike Arnster said at a press conference:
“Any crime that happens in our community is horrifying. Homicide is one of the worst crimes of all, for families, for our communities, and for investigators,” St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said in a press release.
“Our department is committed to bringing those who have done harm to justice, and we have a very dangerous individual currently under arrest. It showed the dedication of our police officers to protect our communities,” Henry continued.
