Man Gets Max Sentence in Gruesome Saint Paul Double-Murder
A man convicted of killing and dismembering two women in Saint Paul has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Joseph Steven Jorgenson, 41, received his sentence last week in court after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder earlier this year.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Admits to Killing, Dismembering 2 Women
Court records show he was ordered to serve 40 years in prison for each charge, with the sentences running concurrently.
As part of the plea agreement, felony charges for arson, threats of violence and disarming a police officer stemming from his arrest in June 2023 were dismissed.
The victims, identified as Manijeh Starren, 33, and Fanta Xayavong, 31, were reported missing under similar circumstances. Investigators later discovered their dismembered remains in separate storage facilities in Woodbury and Coon Rapids, respectively.
The investigation began in April 2023, when Saint Paul Police got a missing person report for Starren from her father. He described her struggles with mental health and addiction but said she typically maintained regular contact. Over the following weeks, police reviewed surveillance footage, social media activity and EBT account history, eventually identifying Jorgenson as the primary suspect in her disappearance.
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A search of Jorgenson’s digital accounts revealed evidence suggesting he killed and dismembered Starren. Though her apartment appeared undisturbed, forensic analysis detected substantial amounts of blood that had been cleaned. Keys recovered from Jorgenson’s residence led investigators to a storage unit in Woodbury, where Starren’s dismembered remains were found in two coolers and a bag.
While investigating Starren’s case, authorities uncovered evidence linking Jorgenson to the 2021 disappearance of Xayavong. Her remains were discovered in a separate storage unit in Coon Rapids, with evidence tying the crime to Jorgenson’s residence in Shoreview.
Jorgenson received credit for time served: 619 days in one case and 614 days in the other. He was also ordered to pay over $5,000 in fines and fees in each case and provide a DNA sample.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Admits to Killing, Dismembering 2 Women
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