FARGO — A Fargo man accused of
killing and dismembering his girlfriend
this year will be evaluated to determine if he was criminally responsible for her death and can proceed to trial.
A Cass County judge signed two orders on Monday, March 16, that authorize mental health evaluations Joshua Alexander Hite, 21. The Fargo man is accused of killing Isadora Wengel, 24, of West Fargo, in early January.
One of the orders will determine if Hite is criminally responsible for Wengel’s death. A person can be found not guilty due to lack of criminal responsibility if a mental disease or defect prevents them from understanding the “harmful nature or consequences” of their actions at the time of a crime, or if that mental illness causes a person to lose or seriously distort their ability to recognize reality, according to North Dakota law.
A fitness to proceed evaluation will determine if Hite is able to understand court proceedings and can help with his defense. If not, a court would determine if his competency can be restored.
Prosecutors alleged Hite dismembered Wengel’s body and disposed of her remains. Police have not found Wengel, but they discovered in a dumpster near Hite’s apartment several items with
, including a 12-inch metal cutting blade and towels, according to court documents.
Investigators determined Hite “input searches into Isadora’s phone to mislead officers in this case,” Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Derek Steiner said in court. Hite also sent messages using Wengel’s phone in an attempt to make her family believe she was alive after her death, Steiner said.
Wengel was arrested Feb. 10, almost a month after her death. He is charged in Cass County District Court with felony counts of murder and tampering with physical evidence, as well as a misdemeanor charge of providing false information or reports to law enforcement.
He remains in custody at the Cass County Jail on a
April Baumgarten is the Fargo city government reporter. The North Dakota native started her journalism career in 2011 and joined The Forum in February 2019. Readers can reach her at 701-241-5417 or abaumgarten@forumcomm.com.