A man in northern Minnesota faces a murder charge for allegedly
beating and decapitating his girlfriend’s alleged rapist, local media
reported Thursday.
According to a criminal complaint, Joseph Christen
Thoresen beat David Haiman with a baseball bat, stabbed him, then used a
machete to decapitate him as Haiman was groaning on the ground near the
community of Ball Club last week. Thoresen then dragged Haiman’s torso
and threw his head into the woods, according to the complaint.
The suspect allegedly told Haiman he should not have raped “my girl,”.
Before the alleged attack, the girlfriend said the
group talked about “scoring some bud,” then smoked meth and marijuana,
the complaint said.
Thoresen, 35, made his initial appearance Wednesday
on a murder charge in Itasca County District Court and remained in
custody. Online court records did not list an attorney to comment on his
behalf.
Haiman, 20, of Hibbing, had been reported missing
Saturday after he didn’t show up for work and hadn’t been seen for five
days. Thoresen’s girlfriend reportedly helped investigators find
the torso and head Sunday.
According to the complaint, the girlfriend told
police that when she learned Haiman was coming to the couple’s Grand
Rapids apartment, she became upset and told Thoresen that Haiman had
sexually assaulted her.
When Haiman arrived, the girlfriend tied him up and
punched him, breaking his nose. She untied him, then Thoresen punched
him repeatedly, the complaint said.
The girlfriend told police that the group left in Haiman’s car and drove to Deer River to smoke.
The girlfriend told authorities they drove into the
woods and Thoresen and Haiman argued about car trouble. Thoresen
allegedly said he had Haiman check the oil, then hit him in the head
with a baseball bat and stabbed him, the complaint said.
The girlfriend told authorities she tried to stop
Thoresen but he took a large knife from Haiman’s belt loop and cut off
Haiman’s head. “This was not my Joe,” she said.
Haiman apparently worked at an education and employment center in nearby Hibbing.
