St. Paul man shot, dismembered, dumped in Lake Court documents indicate the boat owner has been cooperative, stating he took West out on the water after being told he was disposing of some of his grandmother's belongings and a dead dog. On July 15-16, Balsimos remains were found in Lake Superior near Grand Portage. Age: 33 Also Knows As: GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. The search for a missing Indigenous man in Minnesota came to a grisly end last week after authorities pulled his dismembered remains from the waters of Lake Superior. However, in a new press release Monday, the BCA announced that Balsimos remains had been located in Lake Superior by dive teams on Thursday and Friday offshore in the city of Grand Portage in Cook County, Minnesota. Court documents indicate he fatally shot the St. Paul man in a moving car in the Twin Cities in June 2021 before transporting his body north to be dismembered on a rural Douglas County property and ultimately deposited in several bins off the shore of Grand Portage. Forum Theater almost completely razed; neighbors next in line, by Alex Rudinski, Philadelphia Real Estate Blog, 1 March 2013, The Fading Neon of Times Square's Sex Shops;Elusive, Undisputed King of Midtown Pornography May Be Forced Out of Business, by Dan Barry, New York Times, 28 October 1995, Building Collapse: Owner Is Richard Porn King Basciano, a Sam Rappaport Alum, by Liz Spikol, Phillymag.com, 5 June 2013, "Richard Basciano, Times Square Pornography Magnate, Dies at 91", "All defendants found liable in deadly '13 Philly building collapse", "Richard Basciano, principal in deadly Center City building collapse, dies at 91", List of Italian-American mobsters by organization, Collaborations between the United States government and Italian Mafia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Basciano&oldid=1145566959, American entertainment industry businesspeople, American business biography, 1920s birth stubs, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 March 2023, at 20:53. WebRichard Anthony Balsimo Birth 20 Aug 1922 Death 7 Sep 1970 (aged 48) Burial Fort Snelling National Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA Plot Section N, Site Please dont make me tell you what I have on me, the man said, according to the witness. [1] Basciano was born in Johnson allegedly completed the dismemberment, while West helped encase the remains in concrete inside three 5-gallon buckets and a tote. Please enter valid email address to continue. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Monday announced it is investigating the death of a 34-year-old man in Lake Superior near Grand Portage as a homicide and that a Duluth man has been charged in connection with the crime. In the pocket of a pair of pants in the tote, a casino players card belonging to Balsimo was found. 3rd person charged in killing of St. Paul man found - KSTP TV You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Two days later, West asked the witness if she knew anyone with a boat, according to the complaint. Plot. Man guilty of involvement in Lake Superior body parts murder. The witness said they were acquainted with West and another 35-year-old man, and met up with them on June 20 at Wests home. My brother was an amazing man with a big heart, Turner told Native News Online. Published: July 19, 2021 - 12:50 PM The remains of a missing St. Paul man have been found in Lake Superior. BCA agents later met with another witness who told them that theyd been contacted by West and that West asked the witness to take him into Lake Superior by boat. GRAND MARAIS The man accused of fatally shooting Richard "Ricky" Anthony Balsimo Jr. will be tried in Duluth this summer, two years after the victim's On Friday, while being held on unrelated charges in Douglas County, Wis., West confessed to helping dismember the body of Richard Anthony Balsimo and hatching a plan to get rid of the remains, a criminal complaint against West, filed in Cook County, Minn., alleges. West confessed to coming up with the plan for disposal of Balsimos body and assisting in the effort to dismember him. The fisherman believed the buckets had green or black lids and noted they were likely heavy because [West] strained while lifting them, one at a time, the complaint states. Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. Robert West still faces more charges in Wisconsin for his role in disposing of the remains of shooting victim Ricky Balsimo Jr. No attorney was listed in the charging documents. [5], By the mid-1990s, the adult entertainment industry was undergoing rapid change. "I do that reluctantly, because I know it's generally important to be able to serve the community and have a trial where there is a nexus between acts and the community," Cuzzo said. Richard Basciano (July 16, 1925 May 1, 2017) was an American property developer active in New York City and Philadelphia.[1]. Ryan said testimonies from the two women confirm that Balsimo pulled out a knife and began pointing it at others and making death threats before he was shot from behind through the passenger seat by Johnson. Balsimo's family was critical of law enforcement and said they did not see any significant movement on their missing person report until they hired Duluth private investigative firm Applied Professional Services, which identified the cause of death and location of Balsimo's remains. APS detectives began a comprehensive investigation into his disappearance as soon as we could, Terch wrote in an email. Johnson is the final remaining defendant of the three charged in connection with Balsimo's killing. Ya with a dead body in the back, West said, according to the complaint. Richard Basciano - Wikipedia The motive for the shooting was not made clear, though the woman said West claimed that the shooter had killed Balsimo in self-defense. He is also charged by Douglas County with mutilating a body, harboring or assisting a criminal, and possessing a criminal. Richard Balsimo and Austin Turner are organizing this fundraiser. Within the tote was discovered a male human torso with legs, arms and head removed, the documents allege. This article was published more than1 year ago. He blew the whistle on Trumps Truth Social. Robert West Charged After 34-Year-Old St. Paul Man's Balsimo was Investigators working with dive teams located his remains in Lake Superior on July 15 and 16. The two charges would provide jurors discretion in assessing his level of culpability, but it comes with a significant difference in terms of potential sentencing. They also hired a Duluth-based private investigation firm, Applied Professional Services. The other man, described by the Star Tribune as a 35-year-old who has not been charged in the case, seemed nervous about something hidden in his vehicle, the woman said. When the witness and West met the commercial fisherman in Grand Portage at about 11:30 p.m., West allegedly claimed he had some of "his grandmother's valuables that he wanted to dump in the lake. The BCA is being assisted with its investigation by the Cook County Attorneys Office, Cook County Sheriffs Office, Douglas County Sheriffs Office, Minnesota Attorney Generals Office, St. Louis County Sheriffs Office, St. Paul Police Department and Superior Police Department. Copyright 2023, All Rights Reserved | Parents. have been charged in connection with Balsimos death. GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. (AP) -- Authorities are investigating the killing of a man whose remains were found on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Portage. Robert Thomas West, 41, of Duluth, has been charged with being an accomplice after the fact to felony murder and concealment of a body in the disposal of Richard Anthony Ricky Balsimo, court records show. pleaded guilty last June to aiding an offender and agreed to cooperate WebRichard Anthony Balsimo Richard Anthony Balsimo allegedly assaulted a family or household member which included hitting and strangulation. Getting in the Garden Groove with John Schroeder, 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Sauk Rapids Teen Facing Charges in Fatal Hit and Run, Rough Water On Lake Superior in Duluth [LIVE VIDEO], Death of Waite Park Woman Ruled A Homicide, Woman Killed, Five People Arrested in Brooklyn Park Shooting, This Film On Surfing Lake Superior Is Racking Up The Awards In 2022, Four Years Ago Duluth Experienced Some of the Biggest Waves Ever, Check Out This Floating House Up For Sale Soon in Duluth, St. Agents observed what appeared to be a bullet wound in the torso. Turner reported her brother missing on June 30. No one should have to go through the terrible emotions and sad news that they have dealt with in recent weeks.. APS president Terch expressed his staffs condolences to their clients. Richard Anthony Balsimo. We feel deeply for the Balsimo family, Terch said. Warning: This report contains details that some may find disturbing. The charges came after the remains of Richard Anthony Balsimo, 34, were discovered in Minnesota's Lake Superior last week Police say the victim was The Midwest Medical Examiners Office later identified the body as Balsimo, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a news release on Monday. On frontier of new gold rush, quest for coveted EV metals yields misery. Siblings. Johnsons trial date has not yet been set. Cops: Man dumping grandmas valuables into Lake An autopsy later determined Balsimo had been shot at least four times. They stopped at a camping area about 15 minutes prior to Grand Portage, at which point the witness asked West whether he was paranoid. Defense attorneys said statements from the two women confirmed that Balsimo, 34, pulled out a knife and began pointing it at others and making death threats before he was shot from behind through the front passenger seat by Johnson. Turner was critical of the response her family received when they first reported Balsimo missing. Before arriving, they stopped at a campground, where the witness asked West if he was paranoid about something. The criminal complaint details that Balsimo was likely murdered and dismembered on June 20, and his body later placed in five-gallon buckets into Lake Superior. Johnson reportedly completed the dismemberment while West helped encase the remains in concrete in three 5-gallon buckets and a tote bag. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and a lifelong resident of the city. Richard Anthony Balsimo No other details about his death were released. According to court documents, he also described the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the victim while brandishing a knife in the car. The Midwest Medical Examiners Office determined hed died of homicidal violence.. citing a previous incident in which Balsimo allegedly stabbed a man in the Twin Ports area. Balsimo, 34, of St. Paul was killed on or around June 20, according to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. GRAND MARAIS The man accused of fatally shooting Richard "Ricky" Anthony Balsimo Jr. will be tried in Duluth this summer, two years after the victim's dismembered remains were pulled from Lake Superior. Reports saydive teams located his remains in Lake Superior last week. The criminal complaint states that Douglas County sheriffs deputies contacted the BCA July 13 with a tip that Balsimo was likely murdered and dismembered on June 20 and his body later placed in five-gallon buckets in Lake Superior outside of Grand Portage.. Also read: Jury convicts Douglas County man in North Shore dismemberment case. When asked, the suspect allegedly said, "Please don't make me tell you what I have on me." Third suspect arrested in killing, dismemberment of St. Paul man Court documents show the boat owner was cooperative, saying he took West out on the water after being told he was disposing of some of his grandmothers remains and a dead dog. According to the family, St. Paul police officers who took the missing person report seemed to shrug off his disappearance after noting that Balsimo had an active warrant. He was dubbed the "porn king of Times Square" in press reports. The Midwest Medical Examiners Office says 34-year-old Richard Anthony Balsimo died of homicidal violence. ", On June 23, the complaint said, the witness overheard a conversation about three buckets, at which point West allegedly revealed that Balsimo had been shot by the other suspect "in self-defense.". WebRichard Basciano. The witness and West caravanned in separate vehicles to Grand Portage. Body of man found on Lake Superior shores labeled a homicide The dismembered remains of Richard "Ricky" Balsimo, 34, of St. Paul, were found July 15 and 16, 2021, in the waters off Grand Portage. Evidence in the North Shore dismemberment case - Minnesota West, 42, of South Range, reportedly told investigators that Johnson showed up at his residence with Balsimo's body in the back seat of his Audi on June 20. Johnson currently is being held in the jail in Douglas County, Wis., on unrelated charges. Police say it was actually a body. A relative of Balsimo declined to comment Monday, but referred to a statement from Applied Professional Services private investigators the family hired July 1 to help locate their son. She said police investigators had their opinions about my brother and it clouded their judgment on all of us., If it werent for the BCA and our private investigator with APS, we would have been swimming ourselves to find my brother, Turner said. Cloud Police Investigating Fatal Shooting, Check Out This Crazy Ice Road Over Lake Superior [WATCH]. Assuming that Balsimo threatened with a knife to threaten her, the defendants response of shooting Balsimo at least four times, with the defendant West saying he shot Balsimo seven times in anger, is not reasonable, wrote The prosecutor. Cops: Man dumping grandmas valuables into Lake According to the complaint, West confessed Friday to concocting the plan to get rid of Balsimos remains and to helping the alleged killer dismember him. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. According to West's criminal complaint, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office learned that Balsimo was "likely murdered and dismembered on June 20 and his body later placed in 5 gallon buckets in Lake Superior outside of Grand Portage.". Despite this, Vlieger maintained that these accounts do not meet the onus of making a self-defense claim. According to a statement from the company, the private detectives determined that Balsimo was reportedly the victim of a homicide and also found evidence that identified the people responsible for his death. It is the states position that this will essentially be a character attack on Mr. Balsamo, the prosecutor told the court at Fridays hearing. GRAND MARAIS A man whose dismembered remains were recovered from Lake Superior last year is said to have brandished a knife and threatened fellow occupants of a car as it drove through the Twin Cities before he was fatally shot by a passenger, according to recent court records. WDIO-TV reports that dive teams located his remains in Lake Superior last week. Duluth man charged after dismembered human remains 1: The high stakes of low expectations | Trapped! "These are extreme circumstances that I think are important, and the change of venue is necessary to make sure that both Mr. Johnson and the state get a fair trial with (jurors) that have not been subjected to the level of publicity that has been received in Cook County.". This is an active investigation, but based on what is known at this time, investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to public safety. One person now faces criminal charges. charged in connection with dismembered body in Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Ryan called it absurd to suggest that Johnson could have safely exited a moving car while being held at the knife point. WebRichard Anthony Balsimo. The witness said the other man appeared nervous about something being discovered that he had in his vehicle and told the witness, please dont make me tell you what I have on me. The witness later observed bullet holes in the passenger seat of the mans vehicle. "There are other issues related to how busy this county is and how busy our jurors are in the middle of summer.". (Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Douglas County (Wisconsin) Jail). Vlieger also asked the judge to ban speculation and conjecture about Balsimos past specifically the alleged stabbing that took place just days before his death. The alleged killing, he said according to the complaint, was in self-defense.. On July 15 and July 16, Balsimos remains were found in lake Superior near Grand Portage. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our detectives determined that Mr. Balsimo was the victim of homicidal violence, while securing evidence that identified the people responsible for his death.. Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Tom Olsen has covered crime and courts for the Duluth News Tribune since 2013. Richard Anthony Balsimo Balsimo, 34, of St. Paul was killed on or around June 20, according to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Judge Michael Cuzzo on Tuesday ordered a change of venue for the trial of Jacob Colt Johnson, 37, of Superior. The investigation into Balsimos death is ongoing. Additional charges are expected, according to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension officials. The article has been corrected. Once on the water, the fisherman said he saw West dump two heavy five-gallon buckets into the water, followed by the tote. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. No other details about his death were released. This article about an American businessperson born in the 1920s is a stub. Two days later, on June 22, West allegedly asked the woman if she knew anyone with a boat, claiming that he wanted to go fishing. A Duluth woman, Tommi Lynn Hintz, 32, The father of three, who was a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa in North Dakota, was never heard from again. While being held in the county jail, he asked to speak with BCA investigators. During a quick stop at a camping area 15 minutes from their destination, the woman questioned West about how paranoid he appeared. On June 22, West allegedly asked the witness if they knew anyone with a boat because he "wanted to go fishing." The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said on Monday: Additional charges are anticipated., Longer stories and investigations that go deep. The BCA said additional charges are anticipated and West was being held in the Douglas County Jail in Superior. West allegedly told him that he wanted to dump some of his grandmothers valuables in the lake later that week. Altman rally, Felony suspect fatally shot during FBI standoff in Minneapolis Thursday, Murder charges: Teen in stolen vehicle planned to run over pedestrian, Man charged with five sexual assaults in downtown Minneapolis, Senate debates bill that would reduce prison sentences for violent offenders, St. Olaf student charged in alleged plot to commit mass casualty event. Court documents indicate that Balsimo, Johnson and two women were traveling in a car around the Twin Cities area June 20, 2021, when an argument ensued. on Lake Superior Shores Labeled a Homicide APS had five detectives working on this case in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, and we were able to piece together information to assist law enforcement agencies in reaching this sad resolution," said Justin Terch, president of Applied Professional Services. 20 Aug 1922. The Midwest Medical Examiners Office says 34-year-old Richard Anthony Balsimo died of homicidal violence. Inside a pocket was a casino players card in Balsimos name, the complaint alleges. ), Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Authorities say Balsimo was last seen in St. Paul on June 20. Searchers also recovered a pair of pants. The witness asked West if he was paranoid, to which he responded, "Ya, with a dead body in the back," the complaint said. Furthermore, transporting the body north for several hours, dismembering it, discarding the evidence surrounding the shooting and dumping his body in Lake Superior belies the notion of self-defense. His attorneys have said they will argue he acted lawfully in self-defense and defense of others. Applied Professional Services helped find the evidence that led to the discovery, company president Justin Terch told Native News Online. West is scheduled to face a jury in State District Court in Grand Marais beginning Jan. 24. Authorities say it was actually the dismembered body of Balsimo, 34, of St. Paul, Minn., who had gone missing on June 20. "The state is in agreement that pretrial publicity is too much of a risk, and if we start getting going on jury selection here in Cook County and need to ditch out, which I think is a significant risk, then we're going to delay this trial even more," Hicken said. At one point, the other man later asked the witness to deliver a bag with a gun in it to West. Jacob Colt Johnson, 35, of Superior, Wis., was charged Monday in Cook County District Court with second-degree murder with intent, not premeditated in the death of Richard Balsimo. Alleged killer to face Duluth trial in North Shore dismemberment Charges: Man helped dismember murder victim found in Lake The remains of 34-year-old Richard Anthony Balsimo were discovered Thursday and Friday off the shore of Grand Portage by divers working with investigators, The man, whose name is being withheld because hes not been charged in Balsimos death, remains jailed due to a probation violation, jail records show. The Midwest Medical Examiners Office says 34-year-old Richard Anthony Balsimo died of homicidal violence. Richard Anthony Balsimo ST. PAUL A third suspect faces charges in connection with the fatal shooting and dismemberment of a St. Paul man whose remains West faces a maximum of more than 20 years in prison. She noticed bullet holes in the passenger seat of the car, the complaint states, and the man asked her to pass a bag containing a gun to West. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Remains of a Twin Cities man who had been missing for nearly a month have been located in the waters of Lake Superior off the northernmost reaches of Minnesota's shoreline, and a man has been charged with helping with the dismemberment. He was held in Douglas County in Wisconsin. West was in custody in Douglas County on unrelated charges when he asked to speak with law enforcement, the complaint said.