Man Charged with Murder, Victim Beheaded After Being Accused of Rape

Joseph Christen Thoresen, 35, of Grand Rapids, Minn. was charged with second-degree murder, June 29, 2016.

A 20-year-old Hibbing man was decapitated by a woman’s boyfriend after being accused of raping her, according to authorities.

David Alexander Haiman was killed last week near Ball Club, with his torso and body found in separate locations, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Itasca County District Court.

In connection to his death, Joseph Christen Thoresen, 35, of Grand Rapids, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder.

According to the complaint, Thoresen had Haiman check the oil, he then hit Haiman on the head with a baseball bat, then stabbed him in the lungs with a black machete. Thoresen then cut off Haiman’s head and put it in a bag, which he then threw it in the woods.

During an interview, Thoresen’s girlfriend told investigators she was upset when she found out Haiman was going over to their place, and had told Thoresen he raped her in their bedroom.

When Haiman arrived, she confronted and punched him, and said Haiman agreed to be tied and beat up. Thoresen punched him and repeatedly told him that he should not have raped “my girl.”

The three left in Haiman’s vehicle and smoked marijuana with friends in Deer River, then drove to Ball Club to smoke methamphetamine with a friend.

As they argued, Thoresen got out of the car and hit Haiman with a baseball bat, stabbed him multiple times in the back and abdomen. He then took a large knife and decapitated Haiman, and said that this was “not my Joe.”

On Sunday, the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office and Deer River Police Department released a statement investigating a stolen vehicle and a missing person case. Police say Haiman was reported missing Saturday after failing to show up for work, and he wasn’t seen in the last five days. The same day authorities located Haiman’s torso and head at two locations.

If convicted, Thoresen faces up to 40 years in prison. His bail is set at $2,000,000 without conditions or $1,000,000 with conditions.

Thoresen is set to appear in Itasca County Courthouse next Monday, July 5.