Authorities in North Dakota say a 21-year-old man is responsible for the brutal killing and dismemberment of his girlfriend — a crime investigators describe as calculated and “heinous.”
Joshua Alexander Hite was arrested on Feb. 10, more than a month after 25-year-old Isadora Wengel was last seen on Jan. 3 leaving a Walmart near her home. Wengel was reported missing four days later, prompting an investigation that police now say uncovered disturbing evidence of murder and attempted cover-up.
Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski said investigators no longer believe Wengel is alive. Instead, they suspect she was killed shortly after she was last seen and that her body was dismembered. Police are still searching for her remains.
According to court documents, Hite allegedly ordered tools and supplies that authorities believe were used in the crime. Records show that early on Jan. 4 — the morning after Wengel disappeared — Hite purchased a Milwaukee reciprocating saw, clear plastic sheeting, large trash bags and black duct tape. The items were delivered to his apartment via DoorDash.
Investigators later discovered blood-stained plastic sheets, towels containing clumps of hair, and a 12-inch saw blade with biological material lodged in its teeth in a dumpster outside Hite’s residence. Forensic testing determined the debris included fragments of human bone, muscle tissue and other material that matched Wengel’s DNA.
Prosecutors allege that Hite attempted to mislead both police and Wengel’s family in the days following her disappearance. When questioned on Jan. 7 — the same day she was officially reported missing — Hite told officers the couple had argued and broken up. He suggested Wengel may have taken her own life.
Authorities say he went further, allegedly using Wengel’s phone to send messages to her family in an effort to make it appear she was still alive. Assistant Cass County State Attorney Derek Steiner described the alleged behavior as manipulative, claiming Hite tried to steer the investigation toward a false suicide narrative.
Police also uncovered troubling internet searches made around the time Wengel vanished, including queries about junk removal services, obtaining a legal alias and purchasing a reciprocating saw.
In addition to the tools and materials recovered, investigators are looking for two large storage totes that Hite reportedly had delivered. One of the containers remains unaccounted for, and police believe it could contain Wengel’s remains.
Search crews have been working extended shifts to comb through a local landfill in hopes of locating her body. Chief Zibolski described the effort as “all hands on deck,” emphasizing that recovering Wengel’s remains is critical for bringing closure to her family and securing justice.
Hite has been charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and providing false information to law enforcement. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As the search continues, investigators say the case remains active, and they are determined to piece together exactly what happened in the days after Wengel was last seen.
