SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The case involving an Edgerton, Minnesota, man accused of murdering a Sioux Falls woman is one step closer to going to trial.
Defense lawyers and prosecutors appeared before the judge Tuesday in a video conference hearing in Minnesota.
There is no plea deal in the state of Minnesota’s case against Joseph Benson. The case will be set for trial.
Benson is charged with one count of 2nd-degree murder in the death of Samantha Koehne, 38, of Sioux Falls in November of 2024. Prosecutors say Benson strangled her.
According to court documents, police responded to a report of a possible domestic assault that took place at a home in Edgerton where Benson was staying with his girlfriend. When they got there they noticed Benson had scratches on his face and all down his arms. They later discovered Koehne lying face up on the bathroom floor with an extension cord around her legs and lying across her body.
Benson has pleaded not guilty.
In April, he was ordered to be examined by a psychologist, after a lawyer said he suffers from mental illness and is cognitively impaired.
In court on Tuesday, both sides told the judge they were ready to proceed to a jury trial. So the judge said she would look for an appropriate date for the trial which is expected to last a week to a week and a half.
Benson has a lengthy criminal history in South Dakota, and at least one of the crimes involved the same woman he’s now accused of killing.
