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Charges Filed In Kandiyohi County Homicide Case

April 13, 2019 Update:
According to court records, Caleb Blue pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole.
Charges against Lori Jean Harris Gafkjen were dropped.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Charges have been filed against two individuals accused of being involved in a Kandiyohi County homicide that occurred Halloween night.

Caleb Aaron Blue, 35, of Willmar, faces one count of second-degree murder in connection to the incident. Lori Jean Harris Gafkjen, 51, of Brooten, faces two counts of aiding an offender as an accomplice after the fact and one count of aiding an offender to avoid arrest.

Authorities in central Minnesota say a body was found in a Kandiyohi County field on Halloween. The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office identified the deceased as 24-year-old David Medellin Jr.

According to a criminal complaint, Gafkjen told police that Blue allegedly confessed to her that he stabbed Medellin. During an interview, police say Blue confirmed the alleged stabbing. Both Gafkjen and Blue were arrested Monday.

Police say Blue told investigators that he had allegedly met up with Medellin, drove him to a rural gravel road in Willmar, stabbed him, then called Gafkjen to pick him up once Medellin was dead.

As stated in the criminal complaint, Gafkjen told police she met Blue while he was incarcerated at the Kandiyohi County Jail where she formerly worked as a correctional officer. She was not employed as a correctional officer at the time of the homicide.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says it received a call about a body in a field near the intersection of 49th Street and 8th Avenue Northeast in Kandiyohi Township. Deputies responded and found a body near that location.

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