A suspect has been charged in connection with the death of a South Dakota man whose badly decomposed body was found inside a garment bag left on a blood-soaked carpet and surrounded by maggots, police said.
Morningstar Jewett, 29, is facing two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the death of 63-year-old Nigussie Bulti. He allegedly confessed to killing Bulti in a fight, during which he assaulted the victim with a piece of wood and stomped on his head.
Authorities believe Bulti was dead for at least a week before his caseworker with Southeastern Behavioral Health discovered his remains on Wednesday. The caseworker became concerned when Bulti missed a scheduled appointment and went to his apartment in Sioux Falls to check on him, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
Inside his residence, the caseworker found a garment bag with part of Bulti’s body sticking out. Police said the rug below was covered with dried blood and the body was surrounded by bugs and maggots, suggesting it had been there for more than just a few hours.
When officers arrived on the scene, they were almost immediately met with the smell of death and decomposition.
Jewett had been in jail since Tuesday in connection with an unrelated incident before he confessed to Bulti’s murder. He was arrested earlier this week on charges including disorderly conduct, assault by bodily fluids and threatening to kill or injure an officer, according to court documents.
During a search of Jewett’s property at the jail, detectives discovered a pair of blue jeans with what appeared to be blood on them. He also had a pair of shoes with a tread pattern that resembled a footprint found in the victim’s apartment.
Bulti’s death marked the first in Sioux Falls this year.