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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 4/30/2012
SUBJECT: Homicide Victim Identified
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Homicide Victim Identified
CASE NO.: 12072660
INCIDENT DATE: 4/27/2012
INCIDENT TIME: 8:22AM
INCIDENT LOCATION: 100 block East First Street
SUBJECT: Homicide Victim Identified
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Homicide Victim Identified
CASE NO.: 12072660
INCIDENT DATE: 4/27/2012
INCIDENT TIME: 8:22AM
INCIDENT LOCATION: 100 block East First Street
Duluth Police have identified the victim of Friday’s homicide as 28 year old Joshua Eric Defoe of Duluth.
On Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 8:22AM Duluth Police were called to an apartment in the 100 block of East First Street. A renter of the apartment called and said he found a male deceased inside. Officers arrived a few minutes later and found suspicious injuries on the 28 year old deceased male, later identified as Joshua Defoe; and a suspicious death investigation began.
The Duluth Police Department arrested the renter of the apartment, Nakota Benjamin, a 37 year old male resident of Duluth. He is currently being held at the Saint Louis County Jail pending formal charges for 2nd Degree Murder. Also, the Duluth Police Department arrested Wesley Jones, a 47 year old male, resident of Duluth. He is currently being held at the Saint Louis County Jail pending formal charges for Aid and Abet 2nd Degree Murder. Joshua Defoe and two suspects in custody were known to each other.
The Saint Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and ruled the death as a homicide. The cause of death was due to injuries sustained from a knife wound on the Defoe’s neck.
This is the first homicide in Duluth since 2010.
Anyone with any information is asked to call 911. NO further information is available at this time. The investigation is on-going.
Note: The victim’s family has provided the attached photo and requests any media using a photograph in their story use the one attached.
