Grand Rapids man charged in Hibbing stabbing death

A Grand Rapids, Minn., man has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Hibbing man whose apartment door he had knocked on randomly, according to a Duluth TV station.

January 20, 2017 at 3:22AM

A Grand Rapids, Minn., man has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Hibbing man whose apartment door he had knocked on randomly, according to a Duluth TV station.

Benjamin David Lundquist, 32, is charged with killing Joel Gangness, a 54-year-old newspaper delivery worker, according to WDIO TV.

When Gangness' mother reported him missing Tuesday, police went to his apartment and found his body. According to a court document obtained by WDIO, his body was found with 15 stab wounds. Eight DVDs, a disposable camera and a square red plate with the word "Love" on it had been placed on his back, the document said.

Other residents of the apartment complex told police that a strange man had been knocking on doors. Investigators connected Lundquist with the crime after seeing him on surveillance footage from a nearby gas station. He was arrested Tuesday night.

According to investigators quoted in the court document, Lundquist admitted to assaulting and stabbing the victim. He said Jesus directed him to do it.

There was no connection between the two men, according to the document.

Lundquist told authorities he went to Gangness' door because it had the number 12 on it, and "everything came to a 12."

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