Fanta Xayavong; Manijeh “Mani” Starren.Photo:St. Paul Police Department; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension/Facebook
St. Paul Police Department; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension/Facebook
Minnesota investigators said the man who they believe is linked to themurders of two women, whose remains were discovered in storage units, allegedly searched for “jugular,” “what do police do with a missing person’s report” and “lime for soil.”
Jorgenson has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 33-year-oldManijeh “Mani” Starren, whose remains were discovered in a storage unit in Woodbury on June 28.
Police said Jorgenson is also a “person of interest” in the death ofFanta Xayavong, whose remains were found in another storage unit July 6, theStar Tribunereported.
Police began investigating the disappearance of Starren on May 1 after family members reported her missing. The father of one of her children reported that he last heard from her on April 21 and had grown concerned about her when she didn’t check in on her child.
Police later found video surveillance footage that they say showed Starren “running from her apartment” that same day and Jorgenson chasing after her, grabbing her and then pushing her back into the apartment.
Joseph Jorgenson.Saint Paul Police Department
Saint Paul Police Department
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Police noted that the surveillance footage showed Starren entering her apartment but not leaving.
Video surveillance also allegedly showed Jorgenson on April 28 carrying two duffle bags and a suitcase from Starren’s apartment, and then loading the items in a pick-up truck, according to police.
Armed with a search warrant, investigators entered Starren’s apartment on May 25, according to the probable cause affidavit. “Crime scene technicians located evidence of large amounts of blood in the apartment’s living room primarily on the couch, the floor of the living room, and the kitchen," the affidavit reads. “It is believed that someone was seriously injured or killed in the apartment.”
Police also say in the affidavit that Jorgenson had been using Starren’s EBT card and bought a cleaning bucket, six boxes of saran wrap, cleaning products, latex gloves and disinfectant wipes between May 9 and 11.
Per the affidavit, Jorgenson also searched the word “jugular” on April 21, “What do police do with a missing person’s report” on May 1, “How to clear cookies from android phone” on May 3, and “How to remove gps lime scooter” on May 27.
Jorgenson also allegedly searched on Google, “Lime for soil” on June 4. Investigators wrote in the affidavit that “lime can be used to speed up the decomposition process of a body and to reduce the smell of decomposition.”
When police caught up to Jorgenson on June 26, he barricaded himself inside his Maplewood home and started a fire. He fought with officers and tried to take their weapons, according to police. He was eventually taken into custody.
Jorgenson’s apartment manager told police that he had received numerous complaints about a “foul smell” emanating from his apartment in mid-May.
“The smell impacted the entire building, and the manager described the smell as like a dead animal or something that had died,” the affidavit states.
The manager allegedly approached Jorgenson about the smell and he refused to allow him to investigate. Soon after, Jorgenson was allegedly seen “carrying and dragging large black duffle bags out of the apartment,” according to the affidavit.
Inside the apartment, a forensic team found “a large pool of blood” in the front closet, per the affidavit.
Police searched his phone and discovered that Jorgenson had been to a storage unit in Woodbury on May 18.
Based on that information, police entered the unit and, according to the affidavit, found the dismembered remains of Starren wrapped in saran wrap and stuffed inside two coolers and a blue duffle bag.
Police believe Jorgenson dismembered Starren at her apartment and then carried out her remains in the duffle bags.
Police said that while investigating Jorgenson in the disappearance of Starren a “connection between Jorgenson and missing woman Fanta Xayavong came to light.”
Xayavong had been missing since July 2021, theAssociated Pressreported.
Police said an investigation into Xayavong’s disappearance led them to a storage unit in Coon Rapids where they found her remains on July 6. Her death has been ruled a homicide.
Police are trying to determine if Jorgenson is linked to other deaths. Jorgenson has yet to enter a plea in the Starren case. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 21.
An attorney for Jorgenson couldn’t be reached for comment.
Anyone with information about Jorgenson is asked to contact the BCA tip line at 877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us.
source: people.com
