‘Panda is gone’: Man killed ‘freaking out’ girlfriend while housesitting after homeowner told him to ‘get this taken care of,’ police say

A 35-year-old man in Minnesota is accused of killing his girlfriend, beating and strangling her to death inside of a home where he was housesitting. Joseph James Benson was taken into custody earlier this month and charged with one count of second-degree murder in the brutal slaying of 38-year-old Samantha Koehne, who went by the nickname “Panda,” records reviewed by Law&Crime show.

According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies with the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office at about noon on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, responded to a call about a possible domestic assault at a residence on 1st Avenue West in Edgerton.

The 911 caller told the emergency dispatcher she was the homeowner and that Benson was housesitting for her when he sent her a Snapchat message stating that he had killed Koehne.

Upon arriving at the scene, first responders made contact with Benson and detained him, noting that he had abrasions on his arms and scratches on his face. He allegedly told deputies that the marks on his body were from his girlfriend, adding, “There’s a dead body upstairs.”

Deputies then found an adult female — later identified as Koehne — lying unresponsive on the bathroom floor with an extension cord wrapped around her legs. Authorities said Koehne had marks around her throat and what appeared to be blood in her ear and hair.

A subsequent autopsy determined that Koehne’s manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was “probable asphyxia.”

The property owner contacted the sheriff’s office later that day to check on Koehne and was notified that the victim was dead.

In an interview with investigators, the property owner explained that she’d gone on vacation to Florida and asked Benson to stay in the house and take care of her dogs and bird. The two spoke daily using Snapchat and she was aware that Koehne was also at the home.

According to the homeowner, Benson on Nov. 2, said he and Koehne had been arguing and she was “freaking out and wanted to leave.”

“I don’t care what you need to do, you get this taken care of,” the homeowner told Benson, per the affidavit. About 20 minutes later, Benson called her directly with an ominous message.

“Panda is gone,” Benson allegedly said when asked if the situation had been taken care of. “Panda is gone,” he repeated to the homeowner.

Per the homeowner, Benson said that Koehne “wouldn’t stop screaming” out an open window and he was afraid she was going to call the police, adding, “I can’t go back to prison.”

The complaint notes that Benson in 2009 was convicted of felony burglary and was sentenced to 15 days in jail and five years probation.

Police seized Benson’s phone and found a video of him and Koehne arguing on the morning of her death. The footage allegedly showed Benson following Koehne — who appears to have marks on her face — and filming her as she says, “Go for it, here look at the bruises on my face from him beating me again.”

Later in the footage, Koehne can be heard pleading with Benson

“Stop, please stop. I didn’t tell anybody; I didn’t tell anybody,” she allegedly said while crying on the floor and appearing unable to stand. She allegedly begs Benson to call 911, repeating, “I didn’t tell anybody,” as Benson allegedly says, “You literally tried to break in.”

Authorities also recovered messages to Benson’s ex-wife in which he says he needs a friend because “something happened.” When the ex-wife asks what happened, Benson allegedly replies, “I can’t say can you call me” and “its atomically bad.”

Benson is currently being held in the Pipestone County Jail on $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 10.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]