University of Minnesota police discovered a body near the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis Monday afternoon, marking the third dead body found in the city in three consecutive days.
The sequence began Saturday evening, when 56-year-old Karen Lynn Sognesand was found dead in a wooded area near the Mississippi River. Two more bodies were discovered at separate Minneapolis locations over the following two days.
Authorities do not believe the three cases are connected, though the investigations remain ongoing.
Minneapolis Park Police responded to a report of a body found around 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, in a wooded area near E. River Parkway and SE Oak Street along the Mississippi River.
The individual was dead on arrival, according to police. The person was later identified as Sognesand.
The Minneapolis Police Department is the lead investigative agency in the Oak Street case and is treating it as a death investigation. Police said there is no known connection between the case and any other incident.
On Sunday, Aug. 16, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) water patrol deputies were dispatched to Bde Maka Ska at approximately 11:40 a.m. following a report of a body found along the shoreline. Deputies located decomposed human remains, according to the sheriff’s office.
The HCSO Dive Team searched the surrounding area for additional evidence. Minneapolis Park Police, Minneapolis police and the Minneapolis Fire Department also responded to the scene.
HCSO said the investigation remains in its early stages.
On Monday, Aug. 17, University of Minnesota police responded to a report at approximately 1 p.m. and located a deceased individual in the 6th Street and Main Street Southeast area, according to the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD).
The deceased person was not found in the water, UMPD said. The department is investigating the incident and said no additional information is currently available.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death in all three cases. The identities of the individuals in the Sunday and Monday cases have not yet been released.
Additionally, Crime Watch Minneapolis reported that a fourth person was found dead Wednesday morning on the riverbank near Hennepin Avenue.
Downtown Minneapolis – 7:37 a.m., Another dead person found on the riverbank near Hennepin Ave.
4th dead body found in a week.#ThisIsMinneapolis— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) August 19, 2026
Rachael Van Rossum
Rachael Van Rossum is a journalist and author who studies political science in the Twin Cities. She previously interned with the Illinois House of Representatives and recently published her debut fantasy novel "The Hellburner of Sovi." Rachael is passionate about telling compelling stories and bringing to life the voices of political figures, athletes, and members of her community through engaging writing. She is the Alpha News journalism fellow for the summer of 2026.
