Sioux Falls woman dies by strangulation

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A 35-year-old Edgerton, Minnesota man is in jail charged with killing a Sioux Falls woman over the weekend. KELOLAND News did some digging into Joseph Benson's criminal past and found out he is no stranger to law enforcement.

Benson is charged with one count of 2nd-degree murder in the death of 38-year-old Samantha Koehne.

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According to court documents, police responded to a report of a possible domestic assault that took place at a home in Edgerton where Benson was staying with his girlfriend.

When they got there they noticed Benson had scratches on his face and all down his arms.

Court papers say when officers tried to make contact with anyone else in the house, Benson stated there was no one else inside, but said 'there's a dead body upstairs.'

They later discovered Koehne lying face up on the bathroom floor with an extension cord around her legs and lying across her body.

Authorities also saw marks on her throat, blood in her ear, and blood matted in her hair.

Benson has a lengthy criminal history in South Dakota, and at least one of the crimes involved the same woman he's now accused of killing.

He was most recently released from prison in January 2023. He served time for drug charges and violating parole.

Since then he's been arrested a handful of times and a woman was granted a permanent protection order against him.

In September, Benson pleaded guilty to domestic abuse.

That case involved Samanth Koehne.

He received a suspended sentence, meaning he didn't have to spend time behind bars as long as he stayed out of trouble.

Benson is being held in the Pipestone County jail on $250,000 bond with no conditions.

He will make his first court appearance next Tuesday, November 12th.