Woman found strangled to death in burning home, feds say. Video leads to charges
A North Dakota man is charged in the death of his girlfriend after her body was found in a burning house, federal authorities say.
Derick Wilkinson is charged with second-degree murder and assault of an intimate partner, according to court records.
McClatchy News reached out to Wilkinson’s attorney for comment but did not immediately hear back.
According to a probable cause statement, an officer saw a home on fire in White Shield around 8:40 a.m. Aug. 9.
Wilkinson came out of the home and told authorities that his girlfriend and two children were still inside, the affidavit said.
Wilkinson and a relative then helped first responders enter the home and get the children out, the affidavit said.
Fire crews worked to put out the fire, and a body, identified only as Jane Doe in court records, was found face down on a mattress in an upstairs bedroom, documents said.
Officials said they also found “dark reddish-brown” stains on a pillow and walls in a basement bedroom that Wilkinson and Jane Doe shared.
On Aug. 13, an autopsy was performed and the results indicated that a bone in Jane Doe’s neck was broken, which is consistent with blunt trauma or strangulation, the court documents said. It also determined that she did not have any soot in her throat, which would indicate she was already dead when the home was on fire, the affidavit said.
Several people told investigators that they witnessed the couple arguing the night before and that the arguments had turned physical in the past, according to court records.
Both of Jane Doe’s kids told authorities that Wilkinson “hurt” Jane Doe, and one said that she had blood on her the night before the fire, the affidavit said. One of the kids said he saw Wilkinson “choking” Jane Doe, according to court records.
When interviewed by police, Wilkinson denied having an argument with Jane Doe the night before the fire and said the two went to sleep in their room as normal.
Another witness told authorities that they spoke with Jane Doe through Facebook the morning of the fire, and another woman said she thought she saw Jane Doe through a window that morning, according to court records.
Authorities later recovered home surveillance footage that they said showed a fight between the couple the night before the fire.
The videos showed Wilkinson assault Jane Doe with his hands, feet and other objects, then strangle her by “wrapping his hands and wrapping his arms around Jane Doe’s neck as well as dragging her across the floor by her hair,” the complaint said.
Wilkinson was arrested on Aug. 26, court records show.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Woman found strangled to death in burning home, feds say. Video leads to charges."
