A man and a 37-year-old Minnesota woman checked into a hotel together, but the man allegedly checked out alone. In another case involving the same man, CBS Minnesota reported that family members thought a 19-year-old female college student from Oregon had fallen out of touch following her relocation to Minnesota. In reality, both women’s bodies may have already been in the trunk of the man’s car. He has been charged with two counts of hiding a corpse, but he claims that in both instances the women died an accidental death.
The incident
According to an investigator, the man, a 52-year-old former police officer, said during an interview that he met both women separately in online chat rooms dedicated to sadomasochism. Both women agreed to meet up in a hotel room and consensually engage in bondage sex. The man admitted to investigators that the women died during sex. He then told law enforcement that he hid their bodies in the trunk of his vehicle, but the smell became so strong that he had to get rid of them.
Highway workers who were cutting grass found suitcases with the women’s bodies inside them. Both women’s hands were tied behind their backs, and one woman had a gag in her mouth – both bonding activities are often associated with sadomasochism. While law enforcement say that homicide charges should be filed, the man’s attorney states that the current charges of hiding a corpse may not hold up in court because the man was not trying to cover up a crime.
A clear background
The man had been working as a security officer at the time of his arrest. His employer stated that he had passed the mandatory background checks required every two years. The only blip on the radar is that the man had resigned from a local police department in August 2001. His resignation came on the heels of allegations that a prostitute had to battle him in order to flee his home. No charges were filed, as the man said that the prostitute had tried to steal from him, sparking the struggle.
A criminal charge of hiding a corpse is classified as a Class F felony in Wisconsin, where the bodies were found. Someone charged with a crime such as that may face imprisonment that cannot exceed 12 months and 6 years. In Minnesota, interfering with a body or attempting to conceal evidence is at best a gross misdemeanor.
The man’s attorney has asked for a $50,000 signature bond with a $1,000 cash component, but a judge disagreed and put a $1 million bond in place. It remains to be seen if the man will be charged with a crime of homicide in Minnesota and another in Wisconsin.
