Friday's murder is the ninth murder in the FM metropolitan area in 2024 – InForum

FARGO – So far in 2024, nine murders have been reported in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo.

Before June, two murders were reported in the metropolitan area. Since then, seven more murders have been reported during the summer months. Of those seven, three occurred in the past week.

Below is a chronological list of all murders committed in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo this year.

March 18, Moorhead, child abuse
Suspects: Rosa Garza, 24, and Shiann Erickson, 22

An autopsy determined Eastyn Deronjic died from assault and blunt force trauma while in the care of Rosa Garza and Shiann Erickson, neither of whom are his biological parents. The couple was arrested in July after an autopsy report came in from the Ramsey County Coroner. Garza and Erickson are in the Clay County Jail. Garza's next hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday, October 3. Erickson's next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 10.

Contribution

March 28, Fargo, stabbing
Suspect: Michael Diedrich, 28

Ethan Larson was stabbed to death in the parking lot of the Southtown Pourhouse bar. He and Michael Diedrich, who authorities said did not know each other beforehand, got into an argument inside the bar and were thrown out. They left separately, but minutes later Diedrich allegedly stabbed Larson in a part of the parking lot that was not under video surveillance, even though several witnesses were nearby. Diedrich pleaded not guilty in July. Larson was a resident of Newfolden, Minnesota, near Thief River Falls. Diedrich is from West Lakeland, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul.

Article by Cole Johnson

June 8, Fargo, domestic violence
Suspect: Randall Duffy, 61

Randall Duffy admitted to officers that he strangled Jody Campbell to death during an argument in her Fargo apartment. The two had a long history of domestic disputes. Campbell was a popular waitress at the Blackbird Woodfire in downtown Fargo. She grew up in Grafton. Duffy is currently in the Cass County Jail awaiting an Aug. 28 hearing. He has not yet entered a guilty plea.

Article by Caitlin Wachsmuth

June 24, Fargo, shooting
Suspect: Amire Logan, 20

Zion Brooks was shot at dusk in a parking lot of The Arbors public housing complex in downtown Fargo. Several people were nearby and outside at the time. The day after the shooting, police were looking for Amire Logan as the prime suspect in the case. Logan was arrested and held for several days on murder charges, but no formal charges were filed against him in connection with Brooks' death. Instead, prosecutors filed firearms violation charges against Logan.

Brooks had recently moved to Fargo from the Atlanta area and was well-known and well-liked in The Arbors, where he lived. Logan grew up in Fargo. He did not live in The Arbors. Fargo police would not say whether Logan is still the prime suspect in the case, which is still under investigation.

Contribution

July 24, Moorhead, shooting
Suspect: Jamal Ahmed, 35

Jamal Ahmed is accused of shooting Franky Torres outside a Moorhead apartment after Torres entered the property to accuse another man of sexually assaulting his friend. Ahmed appeared in Clay County court on August 22 and has another hearing scheduled for Thursday, September 19.

Matt Henson / WDAY

Aug. 4, Moorhead, stabbing
Suspect: Connie Jo Frank, 47

Connie Jo Frank admitted to stabbing and killing her boyfriend, Willard DeGroat, in a Moorhead home. She told investigators she would do it again if given the chance. Frank's next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, August 29.

Matt Henson / WDAY

August 17, West Fargo, shooting
Suspect: Criminal charges not filed

West Fargo police said Austin Strom was attempting to break into the Prairie Heights Church, of which he was a member, when he was attacked by another church member, 66-year-old Kent Hodges. Strom then began attacking Hodges, and another man, Don Barron, 53, intervened. As Strom approached Barron, Barron shot Strom once with his personal weapon, killing him. No charges have been filed in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

Contribution by / Robin Strom

Aug. 19, Moorhead, stabbing
Suspect: Isaac Arndt, 18

Jaelyn Walker was reported missing in the early hours of August 20th and police searching for her found her body on the banks of the Red River. Investigators questioned Isaac Arndt and he admitted to stabbing his ex-girlfriend Walker the night before during an argument. He was arrested and charged with murder.

Post / Moorhead Police Department

August 23, Fargo, shooting
Suspect: One person arrested, unnamed

On Friday, August 23, one person was shot at the Maplewood Bend apartment complex, 2202 12th Ave. S., Fargo. Both Fargo Police and the North Dakota Highway Patrol responded to the shooting. A suspect fled the scene and was eventually arrested at The Arbors at McCormick Park, north of the crime scene.

Witnesses to the shooting told The Forum that two people were “playfully fighting” when one of them accidentally punched the other in the face. The person who was punched in the face then shot and killed the victim, witnesses said. As of Friday afternoon, Fargo police had not confirmed that account.

Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum

In addition to the nine homicides reported in the metropolitan area this year, a stabbing death in West Fargo is still under investigation.

According to West Fargo police, 38-year-old Alexander Anderson of West Fargo died from injuries sustained in a stabbing on July 15. Robyn Lee, 31, was arrested and held in the Cass County Jail for three days. However, West Fargo police never publicly stated that the death was a homicide.

Lee was released later in the week after the Cass County District Attorney's Office reviewed the police file and declined to file charges. West Fargo Police Chief Pete Nielsen said Anderson's death has not officially been ruled a homicide, but the investigation is ongoing.

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