by April Scheinoha
Editor
The second phase of a Thief River Falls man’s murder trial formally began Wednesday, July 30 in Pennington County District Court.
Jorge Luis Benitez-Estremera, 34, was convicted Friday, June 13 of felony offenses of first degree murder – premeditated and second degree murder – intentional. The trial was bifurcated into two phases due to the results of two psychological reports, one privately obtained by the defense and the other privately obtained by the state. During this second phase, Judge Tamara Yon will determine whether Benitez-Estremera knew the difference between right and wrong.
Benitez-Estremera was convicted of murdering Steven Opdahl, 61, outside of DigiKey on May 9, 2023. An autopsy determined Opdahl died from blunt force trauma to the head and neck as a result of a homicide, according to Yon’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, verdict and order. Yon indicated that the final autopsy report referred to a “near complete transection of the brainstem at the level of midbrain and disruption and partial avulsion of the brain parenchyma. These injuries led to immediate incapacitation with subsequent death.” The final autopsy report also referred to “fractures of the cervical spine and multiple rib fractures with associated pulmonary contusions.” Opdahl, who lived in Oklee, had worked at DigiKey for about three years, according to a court filing. He died after he had gone outside to smoke a cigarette at about 9:45 p.m. that day. The two men were strangers.
On Wednesday, Yon set the schedule for the second phase. The defense’s briefs are due Monday, Sept. 8. The state’s response is due Friday, Sept. 19. The defense will then have the opportunity to reply with a brief. Their deadline is Friday, Sept. 26. After that time, Yon will have 30 days to issue her decision.
During the hearing, Yon also formally revoked Benitez-Estremera’s conditions of release since, no matter what Yon’s decision may be, he would face some type of commitment. Benitez-Estremera has been incarcerated at the Pennington County Jail since being arrested hours after the murder.
Stipulated evidence
Yon reached her verdicts in the first phase of the trial after reviewing evidence agreed to by both sides in the guilt/innocence phase of the murder trial.
In January, Benitez-Estremera waived his right to a jury trial and instead voiced his desire for a court trial before Yon. At that time, through an interpreter, he also said he desired to have a stipulated evidence trial. As a result, no witnesses testified.
Security footage
According to the prosecution’s closing argument filed with the court, DigiKey security footage showed that Benitez-Estremera had arrived more than 20 minutes earlier to pick up his girlfriend, who worked at DigiKey. Shortly after Opdahl exited the building, he stood near Benitez-Estremera’s vehicle. Benitez-Estremera then walked up to him, knocked a cigarette and cup out of Opdahl’s hands, and punched him. The three-minute attack continued with Benitez-Estremera slamming Opdahl’s head into Benitez-Estremera’s windshield to the point that the windshield cracked. Later, he twisted Opdahl’s head as if to break Opdahl’s neck. The attack ended after Benitez-Estremera struck Opdahl’s head and neck area about 11 times with the top edge of an unmoored handicap parking sign while Opdahl was lying on the ground. Benitez-Estremera then left the sign on top of Opdahl in a fenced enclosure outside of DigiKey.
During the course of the attack, Opdahl tried multiple times to escape from Benitez-Estremera.
Afterward, Benitez-Estremera then put on his sandals and returned to his car. He later washed his hands. A couple minutes later, Benitez-Estremera placed his blood-splattered clothes in a garbage can outside of the business. When his girlfriend arrived and asked about the windshield and his hand, he didn’t tell her what had happened.
Law enforcement located Benitez-Estremera at his apartment hours after the murder. Benitez-Estremera spoke with law enforcement. He told two law enforcement officers what had happened and suggested that they should look at the security video from DigiKey. He said he wasn’t afraid of Opdahl and he started the fight with Opdahl, according to the prosecution’s closing argument. Benitez-Estremera also referred to Opdahl as different. At two different points, he said he had to take Opdahl out. One time, he referred to the need to take him “out of the system.”
Benitez-Estremera suffered a hand injury during the incident. After speaking with law enforcement, he was taken to the hospital to have medical professionals examine his hand. However, Benitez-Estremera refused treatment.