Full Breakdown
Series of Unrelated Deaths Found Near Minneapolis Waterways
8/20/2026, 12:05:52 PM
Locations and Victims
In the span of three days, authorities recovered three separate bodies in Minneapolis near bodies of water. On Saturday evening, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and Minneapolis Park Police located the remains of 56-year-old Karen Lynn Sognesand in a wooded area adjacent to East River Flats Park along the Mississippi River. The following day, Minneapolis Park Police responded to a report of a severely decomposed body discovered in the water at the east side of Bde Maka Ska Lake near 36th Street West and East Bde Maka Ska Parkway. A third victim was found Monday afternoon near the Stone Arch Bridge; University of Minnesota Police Department officers reported the body near 6th Street and Main Street Southeast. The identity of the Monday decedent has not been released.
Ongoing Investigations
MPD spokesperson said the department is investigating Sognesand’s death and has found no link to the other incidents. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting autopsies for the Bde Maka Ska and Stone Arch Bridge cases and has not disclosed causes of death. University of Minnesota Police are leading the investigation of the Monday discovery, while Minneapolis Park Police continue to assist. Separate investigations are also underway for a fourth body—a 40-year-old Minneapolis man, Timothy Standish Jr., whose remains were recovered in the Mississippi River near Inver Grove Heights by Dakota County Sheriff’s Office investigators. All agencies have emphasized that, at present, there is no known connection among the four deaths.
Public Safety Concerns
The clustering of bodies near high-traffic recreational areas has heightened community anxiety. Local officials note that the incidents underscore the need for continued vigilance around the city’s waterways and parks, especially during warmer months when visitation rises.
Next Steps
Police agencies are urging anyone with information about the victims’ recent activities or acquaintances to contact MPD, Minneapolis Park Police, University of Minnesota Police, or the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office. The investigations remain active, and authorities will release further details as they become available.
