ST. PAUL, Minn. – A 41-year-old man from Woodbury, Joseph Steven Jorgenson, entered a plea of guilt on Thursday for the murders and dismemberment of two women, whose remains were discovered in different storage units.

According to the terms of his plea agreement, Jorgenson is anticipated to receive sentencing on February 28, where he will face two concurrent 40-year sentences for the homicides of Manijeh Starren in 2023 and Fanta Xayavong in 2021. This sentence represents the maximum penalty permissible under Minnesota law for second-degree intentional murder charges. Generally, in Minnesota, inmates serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison, followed by one-third on supervised release.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi expressed the impact of the crimes, stating, “These heinous acts of cruelty took the lives of two young women and forever altered the future of their friends and family.”

The investigation commenced in April 2023 after Starren’s father reported her missing. He informed law enforcement that she had been facing mental health and addiction issues and had not been in contact. Following the report, authorities scrutinized evidence from her residence, surveillance footage, along with her social media and financial transactions, which pointed investigators toward Jorgenson as the main suspect.

Prosecutors revealed that keys found in Jorgenson’s apartment led to a storage facility in Woodbury, where officers discovered the dismembered body of Starren in two coolers as well as in a large bag.

While examining evidence related to Starren’s disappearance, investigators also uncovered links to another victim, Xayavong, who had been in a relationship with Jorgenson back in 2021. Her remains were later found in a different storage locker located in Coon Rapids.