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A 22-year-old woman reportedly told a man that she wasn’t interested in dating – just friendship.
But now she is dead, and the man accused of killing her is behind bars.
Cops said the victim, Kayli Grace Arseth, was found shot multiple times inside her Richfield, Minnesota apartment on June 17.
Officers described the apartment as a “gruesome scene,” with bloodstains and a smear on the outside of the door.
Prosecutors charged 27-year-old Jose Luis Lopez Xique with second-degree intentional murder.
According to investigators, Lopez Xique had been interested in starting a romantic relationship with Arseth, but she expressed to him that she wasn’t in the right mental space for such a commitment.
The two met online and had been spending time together, but her friends told police it was never romantic or sexual.
Text messages obtained by police showed Arseth was clear about wanting to remain friends, the Kansas City Star reported.
In a Snapchat message dated June 16, she conveyed, “I enjoyed spending time with you, but I don’t have the mental energy for any type of relationship at this moment.”
That same day, Lopez Xique’s phone was tracked to her apartment between 3:38 pm and 4:47 pm.
A neighbor told police they heard fighting inside, per NBC affiliate KARE 11.
According to the criminal complaint, the neighbor heard Arseth shout, “How could you do this to me?” shortly before Lopez Xique left.
Authorities later located him in Bloomington, a suburb of Minnesota, where they discovered two garbage bags containing ammunition, gauze, gloves, a hat, and shoes.
Investigators also found rubber gloves, wipes, and masking tape in a trash can.
Lopez Xique was arrested near his home in Shakopee, southwest of Minneapolis on July 3, and didn’t seem surprised, police said.
Officers noted visible scratches and puncture wounds on his arms at the time of his arrest.
Online Dating Dangers
- Over 30% of US adults have used a dating app or website
- About 1 in 10 users say they’ve felt threatened during an online-initiated interaction
- Women under 35 are the most likely group to report unwanted contact or harassment
- Experts urge users to meet in public, tell someone your plans, and trust your instincts
- Authorities warn that clear communication of boundaries doesn’t always prevent escalation
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A Glock 9mm handgun was later recovered from his home.
He is being held at the Hennepin County Jail on a $3 million bond, with a court appearance scheduled for August 5.
County Attorney Mary Moriarty called it “a terrible instance of extreme, targeted violence” in a statement.
“Our office will prosecute Mr. Lopez Xique to protect our community and hold him accountable for his actions,” Moriarty said.
Arseth’s family called for a welfare check after she didn’t show up for work or respond to calls or knocks.
Her loved ones remember her as a vibrant, fearless woman who worked as a behavioral technician for children with autism, according to an obituary.
She was also a snowboarder, swimmer, skater, track athlete, artist, and aspiring development psychology student.
A GoFundMe page called her a “bright, sassy, funny, and caring personality” who loved hard and accepted everyone.
