In a chilling case, Joseph Steven Jorgenson of Maplewood has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, admitting to killing and dismembering two women he was romantically linked to under disturbingly similar circumstances.
His victims, 34-year-old Manijeh Starren and 33-year-old Fanta Xayavong, were both reported missing, only to have their dismembered remains discovered months—and years—later in storage facilities.
Jorgenson, 41, entered his guilty plea in Ramsey County District Court Thursday. As part of a plea agreement, Jorgenson faces two concurrent 40-year sentences—the maximum penalty allowed.
“These heinous acts of cruelty took the lives of two young women and forever altered the future of their friends and family,” said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to their surviving family and friends.”
Investigation begins with Starren’s disappearance
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began in April 2023, when Starren’s father reported her missing to Saint Paul Police. He described her as struggling with addiction and mental health issues, but that it was unlike her to go completely silent.
A search of Starren’s apartment showed evidence of a violent struggle—forensic tools detected blood invisible to the naked eye throughout her apartment.
Police investigators analyzed Starren’s digital footprint, including social media activity, EBT transactions, and surveillance footage. Their efforts pointed to Jorgenson, who was captured on surveillance using Starren’s EBT card after her disappearance, including making a purchase for cleaning supplies.
Further investigation into Jorgenson’s Google and Gmail accounts raised suspicions that he had killed and dismembered Starren. A set of keys recovered from his home ultimately led authorities to a storage unit in Woodbury, where they discovered Starren’s dismembered remains stored in coolers and bags.
According to the complaint, Jorgenson’s apartment manager contacted him around the time Starren went missing because of complaints from neighbors about a foul odor coming from his unit. The manager stated he and a maintenance worker entered the apartment and described the smell as that of a dead animal. The manager reported that Jorgenson became hostile and physically blocked access to a bedroom where the odor appeared to originate.
After instructing Jorgenson to clean the apartment within a week, the manager and maintenance worker left. Shortly afterward, they reportedly observed Jorgenson carrying and dragging large black duffle bags out of the unit. They commented to each other that it looked like Jorgenson was “carrying a dead body.”
Connection to Xayavong’s disappearance
As investigators pieced together Starren’s case, they received a tip about another missing woman that Jorgenson was once romantically linked to—Xayavong—who had not been seen since the summer of 2021.
As police looked deeper into her case, several individuals reported visiting Jorgenson’s home between July and September 2021, describing a “terrible” odor throughout the residence.
After Jorgenson moved out, a cleaning crew documented the condition of the home, including a video showing the bedroom carpet and pad removed, revealing a large stain on the wooden floorboards. The crew also noted a foul smell lingering in the house. Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant for Jorgenson’s former residence, and cadaver dogs brought to the scene alerted to the bedroom.
Investigators discovered that Jorgenson had been using a storage unit in Coon Rapids during that period. A search warrant for the unit revealed Xayavong’s dismembered body stored in coolers and totes.
Jorgenson admits to both murders
According to media reports, during Thursday’s court hearing, Jorgenson confessed to both murders and provided details about how he committed them.
In the spring of 2023, Jorgenson said that he and Starren got into an argument at her apartment. When she asked him to leave, he became enraged. He told the court that he then strangled her until she died.
Afterward, Jorgenson said he dismembered her body with a large razor blade, moved her remains to his Maplewood apartment, and later transferred them to a storage unit in Woodbury.
Thursday’s hearing also marked Jorgenson’s first court appearance in connection with Xayavong’s death, during which he entered a guilty plea to her murder as well.
Jorgenson admitted to beating Xayavong to death, then dismembering her body and hiding the remains in a storage facility.
By pleading guilty, Jorgenson spares the victims’ families the trauma of a trial. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop a separate arson case against him.
Jorgenson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
