A Minnesota woman was killed after repeatedly rejecting a man’s relationship proposition, saying she only wanted to be friends. The man alleged to have killed her, Jose Luis Lopez Xique, reportedly met 22-year-old Kayli Arseth through Snapchat and developed an interest in her. Arseth was murdered in her apartment in Richfield on June 16.
She was fatally shot in the head by the accused on July 16. Reports say they had hung out on several occasions leading up to her death. While her friends said the 27-year-old man would buy Arseth gifts, they were only friends, and there was no romantic or sexual relationship.
However, Lopez Xique expressed his desire to pursue something more, and text messages show that Arseth turned him down multiple times. On June 16, the matter was brought up again via text, and she told him she was not ready to take things further, but she enjoyed his company.
She reportedly asked him for a hand with a motorcycle she owned. That day, Arseth was last seen alive after returning home from work around 4:30 p.m. She had plans to meet a friend, but never came out of her apartment. A concerned friend contacted police after she failed to show up or respond.
Officers found her car in the parking lot, but after getting no answer at the door, they entered the apartment using a key from management. Inside, they discovered Arseth dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
A neighbour later told investigators they heard yelling just after 4:30 p.m., followed by Arseth exclaiming, “How could you do this to me?” Ten minutes later, someone left the apartment, but they didn’t see who it was.
Investigators tied Lopez Xique to the scene using cellphone data. He had been at her building for over an hour that evening while he messaged her. Police later recovered discarded items, including ammunition and gloves, in West Bloomington, items he had purchased earlier that day.
Lopez Xique was discovered to have scratches on his chest and other wounds. He reportedly showed no surprise when police detained him. Authorities also found a firearm and other materials at his home.
He now faces a second-degree murder charge. His bail is set at $2.5 million. Arseth’s death has left loved ones mourning a young woman who made her boundaries clear—and paid for it with her life.