Fargo, North Dakota -17th February 2026: The police in Fargo, North Dakota, have accused Joshua Alexander Hite, who is 21 years old, of murder in relation to the disappearance of his girlfriend, 25-year-old Isadora Wengel, whose DNA was allegedly found on a saw blade, which was found in trash near his apartment. The case has caught the national attention, with a focus on the forensic DNA evidence and the lack of the body of the victim.
On January 7, 2026, Wengel was reported missing, and an inquiry was initiated by the Fargo police department. Officers then started paying attention to Hite when the discrepancies were found in his version of what happened to Wengel, as it was found out and said in the court documents and law enforcement statements. As detectives began combing the premises for their connection with the suspect, they found a saw blade disposed of in nearby garbage. Fingerprint analysis on the weapon showed that there was biological evidence that was subsequently explained in the lab that matched the DNA sequence of Wengel. The investigators also claim that the saw blade might have been utilised in the dissecting of the body parts of the victim, yet her remains have not yet located. According to prosecutors, the DNA results make up an important part of the probable cause affidavit to support the murder charge.
Hite is also charged with tamperingwith evidence, in addition to the DNA evidence, and giving false information to the police. The digital evidence of communication records, as well as surveillance data, has also been mentioned by the police to be a part of the wider investigation, even though it has not been publicly revealed in full because of the law that is in progress.
According to forensic experts, DNA traces on instruments can give strong associative evidence, particularly when collected, preserved and analysed under stringent laboratory practice. Probably, in situations where a body was not found yet, this evidence could be the deciding factor in determining probable cause and proceeding with prosecution.
The police are still trying to find the remains of Wengel and are requesting anyone who has any information to step forward. Now, the case goes through the North Dakota court system, during which the prosecutors will need to prove that the findings of the forensic investigations, combined with the circumstantial and digital evidence, can establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
