Mort Siwe

Mort Siwe was a 20-year-old resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, whose life was violently cut short in the fall of 2020. Publicly, little is known about the young Asian man he was—the life he led, the family who loved him, or the dreams he was pursuing. This silence leaves a painful void, not only for those who knew him but also for a community seeking to understand the full measure of the life that was lost. His death remains a stark and unresolved homicide, a story defined more by its unanswered questions than by the memories of his 20 years.

On the morning of Saturday, October 17, 2020, a 911 call reporting an unresponsive man brought Anoka County Sheriff's deputies to the Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area in Columbus. At approximately 9:50 a.m., near the 8000 block of Headquarters Road, they found Mort’s body. The sprawling 24,000-acre wilderness, a popular area for hunting and birdwatching characterized by marshes, prairies, and forests, became the scene of a grim discovery. Investigators immediately noted that Mort had sustained "visible external injuries," and their initial assessment was that he had likely been murdered.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed the deputies' suspicions. An autopsy concluded that Mort Siwe died from severe head trauma consistent with a physical assault. His death was officially ruled a homicide, launching an intensive investigation led by the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The case, filed under number 20-256155, saw detectives develop and pursue several leads in the ensuing weeks and months. However, despite their efforts, no arrests were ever made, and no charges have been filed in connection with his killing.

Investigators have never publicly released information about a possible motive or why Mort was in the remote wildlife area that morning. Key questions remain unanswered: was he brought there by his killer, or did he go there to meet someone? Who was he with in his final hours? Without a suspect or a clear understanding of the circumstances, the path to justice for Mort grew cold. His case was eventually added to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office's list of unsolved homicides.

In October 2024, on the fourth anniversary of Mort's death, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office launched a new cold case homicide webpage, made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Mort's case was the first one highlighted. A year later, on the fifth anniversary in October 2025, the sheriff's office renewed its public appeal for information, hoping that the passage of time might encourage someone with crucial knowledge to finally come forward. The Cold Case Homicide Unit, a dedicated team of law enforcement and forensic science professionals, continues to re-evaluate the evidence, hoping that new technology or a long-overdue tip might provide the breakthrough they need.

As of the latest reports in October 2025, the investigation into the murder of Mort Siwe remains open and active. His family is left without closure, and his killer remains free. The Anoka County Sheriff's Office continues to urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to help them solve this crime.

Anyone with knowledge about the death of Mort Siwe is asked to contact the Anoka County Sheriff's Office. Tips can be submitted anonymously to the Cold Case Homicide Unit by emailing [email protected] or by calling the sheriff’s office at 763-427-1212.