Machete Weapon of Choice in Hibbing Man’s Decapitation

A Minnesota man is accused of stabbing and decapitating another man who allegedly raped the attacker’s girlfriend.

Joseph Christen Thoresen, 36, of Deer River was charged Tuesday with the second degree murder of David Alexander Haiman. Haiman had been reported missing and then found dead Sunday reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Haiman’s body was found about an hour after the rest of his body according to the order of detention filed in the Ninth Judicial District Court.

Thoresen’s girlfriend, identified as K.D.G., gave testimony which made up much of the Statement of Probable Cause.

Thoresen had told K.D.G. that Haiman was coming over to their apartment at which point she got upset and told Thoresen that Haiman had raped her. Upon his arrival Haiman supposedly willingly submitted to being tied to a chair and beaten by both K.D.G. and Thoresen. K.D.G. reportedly broke Haiman’s nose and Thoresen repeatedly told him that he should not have raped “my girl.”

After the assault the three of them went out together in Haiman’s car. They made two stops, one to smoke marijuana, and another to smoke meth. They then drove around the woods with Haiman calling Thoresen and K.D.G. a number of foul names.

Thoresen and Haiman began to argue about car trouble and then stopped. Thoresen made Haiman check the oil in the car, and then hit him on the head with a baseball bat. Despite K.D.G.’s protestations, Thoresen proceeded to stab Haiman multiple times with a machete which he took from Haiman, before cutting off Haiman’s head, stuffing it into a bag and leaving it in the woods.

Police were first tipped off when Thoresen was in a high speed chase in Haiman’s car. Thoresen was the passenger and was released, but the driver was arrested and later related the story Thoresen had told him about the murder.

If convicted Thoresen could face up to 40 years in prison for second degree murder.

Anders Koskinen