Published: November 26, 2007 12:59 pm         

Five now arrested, jailed in Kato man's murder

The two people arrested in Albert Lea Friday with a third person, who was wanted in connection with the murder of a Mankato man, have been identified.

Aimee Jo Palmer, 18, of Madelia and Axel Rene Kramer, 20, of New Ulm, remain in jail pending formal charges. They were arrested with Gerald Irving Holt, 23, just before 5 p.m. Friday as they left a motel parking lot in a vehicle that had been connected to the murder, a Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Department news release said.

Holt and Lionel Benavidez, 21, were wanted in connection with the murder of 20-year-old Alberto Samilpa Jr. near Windom on Nov. 19.

Benavidez was arrested in Crystal City, Texas, Saturday. No further information about that arrest was available Sunday, but the Cottonwood County news release said Benavidez is in a Texas jail awaiting the extradition process.

Authorities weren’t saying Sunday what possible charges are pending against Palmer and Kramer. The charges are pending in Cottonwood County and both Palmer and Kramer were expected to appear in court there today.

Investigators have been searching for Holt and Benavidez since Nov. 19, which is when Samilpa’s badly burned body was found next to a burning 1999 Porsche 911 off Highway 71 north of Windom. A 2000 Lincoln Navigator was found burning in rural Watonwan County about four hours later. Samilpa had been shot in the head several times and stabbed in the throat.

Hans Paul Hottel, 20, formerly of Windom, was arrested sometime Nov. 19 and jailed in Blue Earth County that night. He was charged Tuesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Both the Porsche and Navigator had been reported stolen from a Lime Valley Road residence north of Mankato on Nov. 17, the same day as Samilpa’s 20th birthday.

An earlier news release from Cottonwood County and the criminal complaint filed against Hottel said witnesses told investigators both Samilpa and Hottel were involved in the burglary. Hottel and Samilpa were living in a Mankato apartment with other roommates.

Witnesses also told investigators Hottel said others who had participated in the burglary had shot and stabbed Samilpa. Surveillance video from a St. James gas station, discovered after a retired police officer reported seeing the Porsche and Navigator there at 11:45 p.m. Nov. 18, allegedly showed Hottel with both vehicles and a group of other people.

Hottel used his credit card to pay for gas and left in a third vehicle, court records said. He allegedly had blood on his clothing when he was arrested Monday.

The Cottonwood County news release didn’t say if authorities are still searching for a 17-year-old suspect mentioned in earlier releases.