Joshua Hite was arrested in connection to the disappearance and apparent murder of Isadora Wengel. Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a tote which may contain her remains.
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Isadora Wengel's boyfriend 'heinously murdered' her, Fargo police chief says
Joshua Hite was arrested in connection to the disappearance and apparent murder of Isadora Wengel. Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a tote which may contain her remains.
Joshua Alexander Hite.
Contributed / Cass County Jail
By
Tasha Carvell,
April Baumgarten,
Matt Henson, and
Isak Dinesen
February 11, 2026 at 3:10 PM
FARGO — Investigators believe Isadora Wengel, the
West Fargo woman who went missing more than a month ago, was "heinously murdered” by her boyfriend.
"We do not believe Isadora is alive," Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski said Wednesday, Feb. 11, during a press conference.
Evidence suggests 21-year-old Joshua Alexander Hite, of Fargo, killed Wengel and disposed of her body, Zibolski said. Hite and Wengel had been dating since August, and she was staying at Hite's south Fargo apartment at the time of her disappearance, police said. Wengel was 24 years old the last time she was seen alive, and would have celebrated her 25th birthday on Jan. 8.
“We believe this to be a heinous and diabolical crime, and we believe there may be some dismemberment involved,” Zibolski said.
Isadora Wengel.
Contributed / West Fargo Police Department
Hite was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder and evidence tampering in the case. He remains in custody at the Cass County Jail.
Police are still searching for Wengel’s remains, which could be revealed during the current midwinter thaw, Zibolski said.
Zibolski asked residents to be on the lookout for and inform the Fargo Police Department if they find a 27-gallon black tote with a red cover. Two such totes were delivered to Hite’s address, but only one was recovered when officers searched his apartment, Zibolski said. He said that the disposal of Wengel's body would likely have happened during "extremely cold weather with significant snow on the ground."
"We know at the time this happened certainly someone couldn't dig into the ground, so someone trying to dispose of something quickly might just cover it up with snow or put it in a low-lying area with snow, which could now be located," Zibolski said.
In a subsequent press release, police said the tote is 28.6 inches long, 19.6 inches wide and 15.2 inches high. Police believe the tote may be anywhere in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area or in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, specifically the Fergus Falls, Elizabeth, Underwood and Battle Lake areas.
TIMELINE OF ISADORA WENGEL INVESTIGATION
Dec. 31: Isadora Wengel was last seen by her father. Police had originally reported Wengel was last seen Jan. 5.
Jan. 7: Wengel is first reported missing and West Fargo police ask for public assistance finding her.
Jan. 9: Police begin searching a south Fargo apartment complex and the Fargo Public Landfill. A suspect, later revealed to be Joshua Alexander Hite, is detained but not arrested at the apartment.
Jan. 12: Fargo Police Chief Dave Zibolski says foul play is suspected in Wengel's disappearance.
Jan. 14: Police expand area of request for public assitance to include all of Fargo-Moorhead metro area.
Jan. 15: Request area grows to include Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Feb. 10: Hite is arrested on suspicion of murder and tampering with evidence.
Until Wednesday, police released few details about the case. Wengel was first reported missing on Jan. 7. Police believe she was last seen Dec. 31 by her father.
Fargo police
searched an apartment in the 4400 block of Calico Drive South on Jan. 9. Police said officers detained one person at the apartment but later released them.
At the time, the Fargo Police Department did not name that person, but Zibolski confirmed it was Hite. Zibolski said there was not enough probable cause in January to arrest Hite.
Officers also searched the Fargo landfill and expanded the search to Otter Tail County. Zibolski said officers have processed a “plethora of evidence.”
“This is a crime that is hard to imagine that someone could commit,” he said.
Public records show that Hite graduated from high school in Battle Lake in 2022. He has only one previous conviction in North Dakota or Minnesota, according to court records — for consumption of alcohol by a minor in Fergus Falls in 2024.
Last month, Zibolski said
police suspected foul play, but officers did not have enough evidence until Tuesday's arrest, he said.
Zibolski called work on the case “Herculean.” Several agencies worked on the case with the Fargo Police Department, including the West Fargo Police Department, Moorhead Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Fergus Falls Police Department, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
"We've gotten to the point where we were able to make an arrest, and we feel we have a strong case to move forward," he said. "We would really appreciate the public's assistance on this next piece. ... We're committed to finishing this."
Formal charges had not yet been filed against Hite as of midafternoon Wednesday, and Cass County prosecutors declined to comment on a timeline for any charges. Zibolski said if Wengel's remains are ultimately located in Minnesota, it is possible federal charges could be filed.
Those with information on the case can call the Red River Regional Dispatch Center at 701-451-7660 or send tips to the Fargo Police Department by texting the information with the keyword FARGOPD to 847411.
Zibolski said Wengel’s family asked for media to respect their privacy.