College student from Twin Cities found dead in Iowa river

A young man from Eden Prairie who was missing after being out at a bar near his Iowa college was found dead in a river, authorities said.

Law enforcement authorities recovered the body of Bjorn Norderhaug on Sunday morning from the Upper Iowa River near Decorah, home of Luther College, school and law enforcement officials said.

"The Luther community is devastated by this loss and continues to pray for Bjorn's family," said Paula Carlson, president of the private liberal-arts school, located 15 miles south of the Minnesota border in northeastern Iowa.

Norderhaug, 21, was a computer science major and was on pace to graduate in 2017, a college spokeswoman said. Norderhaug previously had lived in Chanhassen, the spokeswoman said.

Police in Decorah said they received a report about 6:30 p.m. Saturday that Norderhaug was missing. They were told that he was last seen downtown about 1:50 a.m. on Saturday.

Before Norderhaug's body had been located, police said he had been at the Corner Bar on E. Water Street that night around closing time.

After sunrise Sunday, city police and fire personnel were joined by college staff members in a search along the river.

About two hours later, the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office received a report of a body in the river near Clay Hill Road, outside of Decorah. Emergency responders pulled the body from the river, and a positive identification was made.

Decorah Police Chief Bill Nixon said Monday that his department wasn't notified of Norderhaug's disappearance sooner because the student's friends weren't overly concerned at first about his whereabouts.

"Did he go with other friends, find someplace to sleep, etc.?" the chief said. "That is undetermined."

Nixon said "it is presumed that [Norderhaug] was drinking," but it's too early to attribute "his being in the water with alcohol consumption."

More about the case will be known once the state medical examiner's report is complete, which could take six weeks, the chief said.

College officials notified students, faculty and staff that they have assistance available on campus for those coping with Norderhaug's death.

"We as a community are grieving the loss of one of our own, and are continuing to support Bjorn's friends and family in every way we can," said Corey Landstrom, vice president and dean of student life.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482