A Minnesota man, aged 35, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the death of his girlfriend. Joseph James Benson was apprehended earlier this month for the alleged murder of 38-year-old Samantha Koehne, affectionately known as “Panda,” according to court documents.
The Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic assault call at a residence on 1st Avenue West in Edgerton around noon on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. The call was made by the homeowner, who had entrusted Benson with the care of her home while she was away. She reported receiving a Snapchat message from Benson, in which he claimed to have killed Koehne.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officers detained Benson, who had visible abrasions on his arms and scratches on his face. He reportedly told the officers that his girlfriend had inflicted the injuries and informed them of a deceased body upstairs. The officers discovered an unresponsive adult female, later identified as Koehne, on the bathroom floor with an extension cord wrapped around her legs. Koehne had visible marks around her throat and what seemed to be blood in her ear and hair.
An autopsy report later confirmed that Koehne’s death was a homicide, with the cause of death being “probable asphyxia.” The homeowner, upon contacting the sheriff’s office to check on Koehne, was informed of the tragic incident.
In a subsequent interview, the homeowner revealed that she had left for a vacation to Florida and had asked Benson to look after her home and pets. She was aware that Koehne was also staying at the house. On the day of the incident, Benson had informed her that he and Koehne were having a heated argument and she was “freaking out and wanted to leave.”
According to the homeowner, Benson called her about 20 minutes later with a disturbing message, stating, “Panda is gone.” He allegedly expressed fear that Koehne would call the police and that he did not want to return to prison. Benson had a previous conviction for felony burglary in 2009, for which he served 15 days in jail and five years probation.
Police seized Benson’s phone and discovered a video of him and Koehne arguing on the day of her death. The video allegedly showed Koehne with visible facial injuries, pleading with Benson to stop and insisting that she had not informed anyone about their situation.
Benson is currently being held in the Pipestone County Jail on a $100,000 bond. His court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10.