Wright County Sheriff’s Deputy Rausch spoke with G. R. H., the owner of Holt Motors in Cokato, Wright County, Minnesota, about a reported vehicle theft from the business. G. R. H. Explained that a blue 1995 Ford F150 (hereinafter “the vehicle”), used by employee R. J. J., was stolen from the lot between December 06, 2024 and December 07, 2024. Deputy Rausch spoke with R. J. J., who said he left the vehicle on the north side of the lot, locked and with the keys inside the fuel door, around 2:00 P.M. On December 06, 2024. When he came to work on December 07, 2024, the vehicle was missing.
R. J. J. Provided a list of items he owned that were in the vehicle. The total value of those items was $450. The Lester Prairie Police Department recovered the vehicle on December 09, 2024. On the morning of December 10, 2024, personnel of the Wright County Major Crimes Investigation Unit processed the vehicle for evidence. Deputy Broekema swabbed the vehicle’s steering wheel, column shifter, and interior door handle. He also swabbed a cell phone that was located in the vehicle. The swabs were forwarded to the Midwest Regional Forensic Laboratory for DNA processing.
On December 11, 2024, R. J. J. Confirmed that the cell phone located in the vehicle did not belong to R. J. J. Due to the condition of the phone, no extraction could be performed. Lab analysis of the swabs from the steering wheel, shifter, and interior door handle of the vehicle revealed a mixture of two or more individuals. A major male profile matches Joseph Edward Frieler, Jr. [DOB REDACTED] (hereinafter “the defendant”) and does not match R. J. J. Lab analysis also revealed that the DNA collected from the cell phone contains a mixture of two or more individuals.
A major male profile matches the defendant and does not match R. J. J. The defendant did not have permission to drive the vehicle. The value of the vehicle is estimated to be $2,500.
