by A tipster who reported a Minnesota woman missing before her body was found in a storage unit last week said he tried to get her help for a drug addiction but was threatened by a man authorities identified as a person of interest in your case, law enforcement documents show.
The person of interest, Joseph Jorgenson, 40, was charged with second degree murder in the murder of a second missing woman whose dismembered remains were discovered in a different storage unit on June 28.
The informant called the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigative Task Force and said a friend, Fanta Xayavong, 33, was missing and possibly a victim of sex trafficking, according to search warrant applications filed this month what were they Obtained by NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis.
He told authorities that before Xayavong disappeared about two years ago, she had struggled with drug addiction and he had tried to get her into rehab, according to the documents.
“JORGENSON threatened to kill him,” the documents say, adding that the informant provided text messages showing the threats.
The insider, who did not respond to a request for comment, described Jorgenson as “very abusive” toward Xayavong, according to the documents.
He contacted authorities after learning that the remains of another woman linked to Jorgenson, Manijeh “Mani” Starren, had been found in a storage unit, a St. Patrick’s police spokesman told reporters last week. Paul, Mike Ernster.
Authorities confirmed with her family that Xayavong had last been seen in July 2021, according to the documents. She was reported missing on May 25, Ernster said.
Both women had been in relationships with Jorgenson, Ernster said.
The requests, filed in Ramsey County District Court, sought access to the property surrounding Jorgenson’s suburban apartment, along with his email, Facebook and Uber accounts.
Xayavong’s body was found July 6 in a storage unit in Coon Rapids, about 25 miles northwest of St. Paul, St. Paul police said in a statement last week.
Ernster said the manner of death was homicide. He did not provide additional details on the cause of death.
According to a probable cause statement in Starren’s case, her dismembered remains were found in a storage unit in Woodbury, about 9 miles southeast of St. Paul.
Starren’s father reported her missing on May 1, telling authorities that she had struggled with drug addiction and mental health issues and was presumed to have gone to a drug treatment center when she went missing, according to The document.
During her father’s last call with her on April 18, she seemed paranoid and scared, and he believed she was afraid of her boyfriend, the document says.
Authorities later found security video showing Jorgenson pushing her toward her St. Paul apartment on April 21, according to the statement.
Starren was never seen leaving the house again, although Jorgenson was later videotaped leaving his apartment with two duffel bags and a suitcase, and on a search of his apartment, authorities found large amounts of blood around him. of the apartment that someone seemed to have cleaned. above, says the document.
Jorgenson was arrested June 26 after he allegedly started a fire in his apartment when authorities tried to stop him, police said in a statement. Authorities said he fought with the officers and tried to disarm them.
Jorgenson’s bail was set at $5 million.
An attorney for Jorgenson could not be reached for comment. A relative did not respond to a request for comment.
