ESTHERVILLE, IOWA – A multi-agency investigation into the shooting death of an Estherville, Iowa teen has led to the arrest of another man from that town.
Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens reports that as a result of the multi-agency investigation by the sheriff’s office, Estherville Police Department and Iowa Division of Criminal investigation, a suspect has been charged and arrested in connection to what is now being investigated as a homicide.
Sunday night, charges of Murder in the 1st Degree were filed against 18-year-old Lee Samuel Christensen age of Estherville. As a result of the charges, an arrest warrant was issued for Christensen’s arrest by Emmet County Magistrate David Forsyth. Christensen is accused of using a firearm to kill 19-year-old Thomas Bortvit on June 6, 2015 in rural Emmet County.
Estherville police say that Christensen was taken into custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota and transported to the Hennepin County Jail where he is awaiting extradition back to Iowa to face charges.
The investigation is continuing.
Estherville citizens reported that a prayer vigil was held Sunday night for Bortvit.
(Hennepin county jail)
1 thought on “Teen shot dead in Estherville; one arrested”
The kid was shot after being very badly beaten. By all reports he was a very nice, decent kid who was killed just because he took a girl to his senior prom. He was a high school wrestler and had a job at Fareway in Esterville. What a shame he was killed by this lowlife.