PIPESTONE COUNTY — An Edgerton man has been charged with second-degree murder following a fatal incident at an Edgerton residence on November 2nd. According to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 5, Pipestone County deputies responded to a possible domestic assault after the property owner reported receiving a message from 35-year-old Joseph James Benson, indicating he had killed his girlfriend, who was house-sitting with him.
Upon arrival, officers found Benson with scratches on his face and arms, which he attributed to his girlfriend. He informed them, “there’s a dead body upstairs,” leading officers to discover the victim unresponsive in a bathroom with an extension cord around her legs. She was later transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, where a provisional report determined the cause of death was likely asphyxia, classifying it as a homicide.
Further investigation revealed a video on Benson’s phone, taken the morning of Nov. 2, showing an argument in which the victim accused Benson of beating her. She appeared unable to stand and requested Benson call 911. Benson’s first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 12. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.
