A 21-year-old man stands accused of ordering dismemberment tools through DoorDash, then using his girlfriend’s phone to send photos of ceilings to her worried mother while her body lay in pieces across state lines.
Story Snapshot
- Joshua Alexander Hite, 21, arrested for murder and evidence tampering after girlfriend Isadora Wengel, 25, vanished on New Year’s Eve
- Prosecutors allege Hite ordered power tools via DoorDash, then dismembered Wengel and transported remains to Minnesota in storage containers
- Digital forensics revealed incriminating Google searches including “how to register for a legal alias” and “home depot Sawzall” on the same day tools were delivered
- DNA matching Wengel found on saw blade showing human bone, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue; police still searching for second container with remains
- Suspect allegedly sent bizarre Snapchat photos from victim’s phone to family members days after her disappearance to suggest she was still alive
When Convenience Delivery Becomes Evidence
Joshua Alexander Hite ordered more than groceries through DoorDash on January 4. According to prosecutors, the delivery arriving at approximately 10:30 a.m. contained a sawzall, saw blade, plastic sheeting, trash bags, and duct tape from Home Depot. The receipt would become a documented trail prosecutors now cite as evidence of premeditation. The choice to use a delivery service rather than purchase items in person created an ironic paper trail, one that investigators would follow directly to murder charges. His phone revealed Google searches that same morning for alias registration and the specific power tool brand, searches that paint a chilling picture of calculated planning.
Digital Deception and Family Torment
Between January 4 and 5, someone accessed Isadora Wengel’s phone and began sending Snapchat messages. Her mother and other contacts received strange photos showing nothing but ceilings and walls, images that family members immediately recognized as uncharacteristic. Prosecutors allege Hite controlled her phone during this period, attempting to create the illusion she remained alive while her family grew increasingly concerned. The digital manipulation represented a calculated effort to buy time and misdirect suspicion. Surveillance footage would later contradict Hite’s claim that he dropped Wengel off at her residence on January 5, exposing the fabrication behind his statements to investigators.
A Trail Across Frozen Ground
Investigators believe Hite used a Subaru Impreza to transport Wengel’s remains in a 27-gallon storage box during the early morning hours of January 5, between 2:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. The destination was Otter Tail County, Minnesota, roughly one hour from Fargo. Winter conditions with heavy snowfall and frozen ground influenced the disposal method, providing natural concealment that authorities hope a midwinter thaw will eventually compromise. Police recovered one black tote container but continue searching for a second, appealing to the public for information about potential sightings in the Minnesota disposal area. The multi-state nature of the alleged crime complicates recovery efforts and extends jurisdictional complexities.
What Forensic Analysis Revealed
Laboratory examination of the sawzall blade produced damning results. A forensic pathologist identified what prosecutors describe as “an admixed fragmented array of human bone, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue” on the tool. DNA analysis matched the biological material to Isadora Wengel. Additional items seized from Hite’s apartment contained DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene. The forensic work represents sophisticated biological material analysis, particularly significant in cases where complete remains recovery proves elusive. Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski characterized the alleged crime as “heinous and diabolical” during a news conference, publicly stating that authorities do not believe Wengel is alive.
The Seven Day Gap That Mattered
Isadora Wengel was last seen by family on December 31, 2025. She was not reported missing until January 7, 2026. That seven-day window between disappearance and report proved critical, allowing time for evidence disposal and false narrative construction. New Year’s Eve timing may have initially masked concern about her absence, a factor that benefited the suspect’s alleged efforts to conceal the crime. The case moved rapidly once investigators began examining digital evidence and surveillance footage, progressing from missing person report to murder charges within approximately two weeks. The efficiency reflects modern investigative capabilities, particularly in digital forensics and DNA analysis that can quickly establish probable cause.
Questions Technology Cannot Answer
Despite sophisticated forensic work and comprehensive digital evidence, fundamental questions remain unanswered. Prosecutors have not disclosed a motive for the alleged murder. The duration and nature of the relationship between Hite and Wengel receives limited mention in available information. What drove a 21-year-old to allegedly plan and execute such a calculated crime remains unexplained in public documents. The case joins other recent dismemberment cases involving young women and perpetrators they knew through various means, suggesting disturbing patterns that warrant broader examination. Wengel’s family faces the agonizing reality of confirmed death without recovered remains, awaiting answers that may only come through trial testimony.
Sources:
Missing woman presumed dead, police say ‘there may be some dismemberment involved’ – Fox Baltimore
Teen kidnapped, killed and dismembered by Florida couple she met online – ABC News
