SW Minnesota man accused of killing girlfriend at the home he was house-sitting

A 35-year-old man is accused of killing his girlfriend in Edgerton on Saturday.

Joseph James Benson faces one count of second-degree murder in Pipestone County District Court.

As previously reported, deputies responded to a report of a domestic assault at a home on 1st Avenue West just before noon on Saturday.

The owner of the home had called the police and said that Benson and his girlfriend were staying at the home and that Benson had sent her a Snapchat stating that he had killed her. Court documents state that when they got to the scene, they detained Benson in a squad car and saw scratches on his face. Benson reportedly told officers that the scratches were from his girlfriend and that “there’s a dead body upstairs.”

Officers found a deceased woman on the bathroom floor. There was an extension cord wrapped around her legs, as well as marks on her throat and blood in her ear and hair. Her cause of death was determined to be probable asphyxia and her manner of death was listed as a homicide.

The owner of the home told investigators that she had asked Benson to house-sit while she was on vacation in Florida and that he had brought his girlfriend.

The two had been fighting and the homeowner told them to knock it off. Court documents state that she told investigators Benson called her 20 minutes later and said his girlfriend was “gone.” Benson said the victim was still in the house and that “she wouldn’t stop screaming and I can’t go back to prison.”

While executing a search warrant on Benson’s phone, investigators found a video he had taken of the two of them arguing on the day of the murder.

In the video, Benson is seen following the woman, who says, “Go for it, here look at the bruises on my face from him beating me again,” court documents state. The video showed apparent marks on her face.

Benson then went back inside the house and the woman followed him. The woman was then heard yelling, “Stop, please stop. I didn’t tell anybody; I didn’t tell anybody.”

The video shows the woman lying on the floor crying and seemingly unable to stand, court documents state.

Benson was heard saying, “You literally tried to break in,” and the woman was heard crying and saying, “I didn’t tell anybody,” while asking Benson to call 911.

Investigators also found text messages from Benson to his ex-wife.

At 10:55 a.m. he wrote, “If ever you were able to be a friend, please let it be now there has never been a moment in my life I have needed you more [than] this.” Benson’s ex-wife asked what he meant, to which he replied, “I need a friend something happened.”

When his ex-wife asked what happened, Benson wrote back, “I can’t say can you call me” and “It’s atomically bad.”

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