Suspect charged in Digi-Key killing

Charges have been filed against Thief River Falls man in the death of Steven Opdahl of Oklee (MN) earlier this week. Opdahl’s body was discovered outside the Digi-Key Corporation Tuesday night.

The criminal complaint charges Jorge Luis Benitez-Estremera with two counts of second degree murder and one count of assault in the third degree. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in jail.

Court documents claim police were called to the site by a Digi-Key employee who discovered the body shortly after 10 p.m. The incident was captured on company surveillance. It shows a suspect attacking the victim who attempted to get away. At one point investigators say the defendant hit Opdahl in the head and neck area with the top portion of a parking pole.

Benetez-Estremera was later arrested at a nearby apartment complex. Authorities say during the initial interview the defendant ad-mitting to assaulting a person at Digi-Key. He allegedly stated the person was “contaminated” and needed to be taken out of the system – but he did not know the person.

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