BUFFALO, Minn. -- Authorities say an argument led to the fatal shooting of a teenage mother last week in a rural Wright County park.
The motive was detailed in criminal complaints Wednesday charging three men in the slaying of Cheyenne Clough, 19, of Buffalo.
Clough was found near death early June 1 in Crow Springs County Park. She died Saturday at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale. Authorities said she had been shot four times in the back of the head, neck and shoulders. She had also been beaten.
After investigating, authorities arrested six individuals.
On Wednesday, three of them were charged in Wright County District Court in connection with Clough’s slaying.
Shawn Benson, 21, of Maple Lake was charged with second-degree intentional murder. Justin Jensen, 28 of Maple Lake and Edward Zelko, 26, of Buffalo were each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
According to the charges, authorities said Clough had argued with the defendants and two women connected to the case at a Maple Lake home early July 1. The argument was sparked by Clough’s belief that someone had snitched on her boyfriend, who had an outstanding warrant. The argument was further fueled by the belief that Clough was going to snitch on one of the women, who also had an outstanding warrant.
Authorities allege Jensen then ordered that Clough be killed and gave Benson and Zelko a stolen .22-caliber handgun. Benson and Zelko then drove off with Clough on the pretext of taking her home. That’s when Benson allegedly shot her in the park.
The three defendants and the two women then left the area. Jensen, Benson and the two women were arrested Sunday near International Falls on the Canadian border. Zelko was arrested Saturday in Todd County, Minn. A fourth man was also arrested Sunday in International Falls, where he lives, and was charged with aiding a defendant to avoid arrest.
According to WCCO-TV, prosecutors said the two women likely would not face charges.
The handgun, which was apparently tossed in a northern Minnesota river, hasn’t been found.
