2 taken into custody in connection to fatal stabbing in Chisago County

Two people have been taken into custody after a reported stabbing early Friday morning in Chisago County.

According to the Chisago County Sheriff's office, authorities received a call at about 2:18 a.m. reporting a male had stabbed another male at a residence along Joywood Avenue in Sunrise Township.

Chisago County deputies and North Branch police responded to the scene and worked to provide aid to the male victim. A Life Link helicopter was called to the scene, however, the victim was pronounced dead at the landing zone and was not airlifted.

The victim was identified by the sheriff's office as 28-year-old Joshua James Kaczrowski.

The suspect had left the scene prior to the arrival of law enforcement officers. However, after several hours of investigation, deputies were led to a wooded area of a park in North Branch.

Shortly after 7 a.m., two people were taken into custody near Tower Park. According to the sheriff's office, they were Justin Gerald Valian, 23, and Courtney Kay Pilz-Carr, 28. They were both known by Kaczrowski, authorities said.

Valian is being held second-degree murder charges and an unrelated warrant. Pilz-Carr was with Valian when he was arrested and was taken into custody in connection to the stabbing and on an unrelated warrant.

The Chisago County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are still investigating the incident.