Man tied to slain ND family held by immigration
By JAMES MacPHERSON, Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A Somali man who had a child with a North Dakota woman found dead last week has been interviewed as a "person of interest" in her death and the deaths of three others and is being held by U.S. immigration officials, officials said Thursday.
Omar Mohamed Kalmio is the father of an infant girl found alive last week in the Minot apartment of 19-year-old Sabrina Zephier, who was found dead Friday, Minot Police Chief Jeff Balentine told The Associated Press on Thursday. Sabrina Zephier's mother, Jolene Zephier, 38; brother, Dillon Zephier, 13; and Jolene Zephier's boyfriend, Jeremy Longie, 22, were found slain in nearby mobile home less than an hour later.
"We have interviewed (Kalmio), and he is a person of interest," Balentine said.
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He wasn't sure where immigration officials were holding Kalmio on Thursday but said police planned to interview him again. No one has been charged in the deaths.
Immigration officers brought Kalmio to the Ward County Jail on Tuesday and picked him up Wednesday afternoon, jail Capt. Penny Erickson said. Kalmio had been living in Minot but had been working in the northwest North Dakota city of Williston, Balentine said.
Immigration officials did not immediately return telephone messages left by the AP on Thursday.
The Zephiers were members of South Dakota's Yankton Sioux Tribe. Officials have said they and Longie died after being shot. Their bodies were sent to Bismarck on Monday for autopsies, and police are waiting for the results, Balentine said.
He would not comment on a possible motive for the slayings.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)