St. Paul Police Uncover Remains of Fanta Xayavong in Storage Unit
In a recent announcement, St. Paul Police revealed that the remains of Fanta Xayavong have been identified in a storage unit located in Coon Rapids. Concerns were raised about Xayavong’s safety after she was last seen with Joseph Jorgenson in July 2021 and reported missing in May 2023, Your Content has learned.
Just a week ago, Jorgenson was charged with second-degree intentional murder in connection to the death of Manijeh “Mani” Starren, whose remains were discovered in a Woodbury storage unit two months after she went missing. Authorities suspect that Jorgenson might have more victims, adding to the grim nature of these events.
Sgt. Mike Ernster of the St. Paul Police Department expressed deep distress, stating, “This is nothing short of horrific. For the second time in a week, we have found a missing person deceased.” Following the discovery of Starren’s remains, an investigation into Xayavong’s disappearance was initiated based on a tip received by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions (BCA) Human Trafficking tip line.
The exact location of Xayavong’s death is still unknown; however, authorities have executed a search warrant at a residence in Shoreview, previously owned by Jorgenson until September 2022, in hopes of uncovering additional evidence related to the case.
While Jorgenson remains a person of interest in Xayavong’s death, he has not been charged in connection to it. The police believe that there may be more victims, and an active investigation is ongoing.
Sgt. Ernster emphasized the significance of community involvement, stating, “This all began with a tip that put us on the path to finding Fanta. We’re urging anyone who has had contact with Jorgenson and knows of someone missing to reach out to us.”
If you have any information related to these cases, you are urged to contact the BCA tipline at 1-877-996-6222 or email [email protected].
Previous Victim: Court records reveal that Manijeh “Mani” Starren was reported missing on May 1 when her family had not heard from her since mid-April. Initially, investigators focused their search on Starren’s apartment on the 1400 block of 7th Street East in St. Paul.
According to a close associate of Starren, she mentioned an incident where “Joe” had put a rope around her neck, leading to a panicked escape from the apartment. Surveillance footage on April 28 captured Jorgenson leaving the apartment with bags, loading them into a pickup truck, and driving away. Authorities discovered that Jorgenson had searched online for information on missing person reports, how to clear cookies from an Android phone, and the term “jugular,” which refers to a major blood vessel in the neck.
On June 26, a search warrant was executed at Jorgenson’s apartment in Maplewood, resulting in a confrontation where Jorgenson barricaded himself in the bedroom, started a fire in the closet, and engaged in a physical altercation with officers. Two officers sustained minor injuries during the incident.
Subsequently, on June 28, investigators carried out a search warrant at the Woodbury storage unit, where they found various containers, including the bag Jorgenson was observed taking from Starren’s apartment, along with cleaning supplies. Starren’s remains were discovered wrapped in plastic inside these containers, leading the medical examiner to determine her death as a homicide, according to FOX9.