Former Officer Convicted of College Student’s Murder Nearly Two Decades Later

BISMARCK, N.D. — Former corrections officer Moe Gibbs was convicted of murdering college student Mindy Morgenstern in 2007, nearly two decades after her death. Morgenstern was found dead in her apartment near Valley City State University in September 2006.

The investigation revealed multiple suspects, but DNA evidence ultimately pointed to Gibbs, whose DNA was linked not only to the crime scene but also to an unsolved sexual assault case from 2004. “It was pretty horrific,” said Sgt. Dave Swenson of the Valley City Police Department. “Valley City is a small community … I knew who she was.”

Mindy, 22, was a senior who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her parents adopted her and raised her on a farm in New Salem, N.D. She was known for her vibrant personality and love for life, as described by her mother, Eunice, who remembered her daughter as having “a light in her eyes.”

On the evening of Sept. 13, 2006, two of Mindy’s friends found her dead on the floor of her apartment. One friend, Toni Baumann, recalled seeing Mindy with a belt around her neck and a broken knife in her throat. An autopsy concluded that Mindy died from a combination of asphyxiation and cuts to her neck, with no signs of sexual assault.

After her murder, Gibbs initially told investigators that he had spent the morning alone while preparing to move with his wife. As the investigation deepened, authorities discovered Gibbs previously changed his name and had a criminal background, including a five-year prison sentence for a drive-by shooting. He admitted to being in Mindy’s apartment that day but claimed he was helping her with laundry.

Gibbs was charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of sexual assault after several women accused him of assaulting them while he worked at the jail. He was tried for Mindy’s murder twice; the first trial ended in a deadlock. In a second trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He has since been incarcerated at the North Dakota State Penitentiary.

Following his conviction, Gibbs attempted to appeal, arguing insufficient evidence, but was denied. A judge dismissed his appeal in 2010, leaving him to serve his life sentence in prison.