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Arrest In Osakis Woman's Death

OSAKIS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Police made an arrest in the case of a 51-year-old murdered after discovering intruders inside her home.

Police arrested 52-year-old Jeffery Allen Brooks, of Alexandria, Minn., at noon Friday in connection with the murder of Diane Fortenberry.

Brooks is being held at the Todd County Detention Center and will be arraigned next week on charges of second degree murder.

Police are not saying how they found Brooks, but it is known that he was arrested near the Alexandria library.

"We've really exhausted a lot of time and a lot of energy into this, so we are very relieved, very relieved for the family," said Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson.

Fortenberry was killed a week ago when she came home during lunch to let the dog outside.

She discovered a burglary in progress at her home on County Road 10 and East Whitetail Drive near Lake Osakis.

Sheriff Peter Mikkelson said Fortenberry's son came home later that afternoon and found his mother and called 911. She was pronounced dead at the Long Prairie Hospital.

The medical examiner said Fortenberry died of blunt force trauma. It was Todd County's first homicide in five years.

Police said a 32-inch flat-screen TV, a jewelry box containing a large amount of black hills gold jewelry, a lap top computer, collector bill and coins, and other electronic were stolen from the house.

The week-long investigation has 15 to 20 people working on it 24 hours a day.

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