ST. PAUL, Minn. (TCN) — A 41-year-old man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for killing and dismembering two of his girlfriends — both of whom went missing over the course of two years — and leaving their remains in a storage unit.
Court records show Joseph Jorgenson pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Manijeh “Mani” Starren and Fanta Xayavong. The Minnesota Star Tribune reports Jorgenson will get 40 years in prison for each count with the terms running concurrently. His formal sentencing is scheduled for February.
Starren’s family reported her missing to the St. Paul Police Department on May 1, 2023, saying they had not heard from her since April. Investigators went to Starren’s apartment and found blood inside. That evidence and video surveillance led them to identify Jorgenson as a suspect in her disappearance. St. Paul SWAT team members attempted to apprehend Jorgenson on June 26, 2023, but he started a fire inside and fought with the responding officers. Law enforcement eventually detained him and discovered additional blood evidence in his home.