Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) – A Thief River Falls man accused of a brutal, unprovoked murder outside DigiKey is set for trial, with briefing dates now scheduled in the gruesome case.
Jorge Luis Benitez-Estremera, 34, faces first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder charges after allegedly bludgeoning 61-year-old Steven Opdahl to death during a chilling three-minute attack on May 9, 2023.
During a court hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 26, Judge Tamara Yon scheduled key deadlines for the guilt/innocence phase:
- March 21 – Deadline for the state to file its brief
- April 25 – Deadline for the defense’s response
- May 2 – Potential rebuttal filing by the prosecution
- May 23 – Deadline for Judge Yon’s ruling on guilt/innocence
If found guilty, a second phase of the trial will determine whether Benitez-Estremera understood right from wrong at the time of the crime, as his defense argues mental illness or deficiency.
Disturbing Crime Scene Details
According to the criminal complaint:
Opdahl was on a smoke break outside DigiKey when the attack occurred. Surveillance footage captured Benitez-Estremera punching Opdahl 17 times, mostly in the head. A parking pole sign was used as a weapon, leaving Opdahl with severe head trauma. No aggression was shown by Opdahl before the attack. Benitez-Estremera allegedly told police he believed Opdahl was “contaminated” and needed to be removed from the system.”
After the unprovoked and violent assault, Benitez-Estremera was found hours later at an apartment complex in Thief River Falls.
What’s Next?
Benitez-Estremera waived his right to a jury trial, opting for a court trial where Judge Yon will determine the verdict based solely on agreed-upon evidence—with no witnesses testifying.
If convicted, Judge Yon will then decide whether he was mentally competent at the time of the crime.
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I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News