FARGO (KFGO) – Three men have been charged in the murder of a homeless Fargo man, whose body was found near the Red River north of Main Avenue last Sunday morning.
George Ortiz, 38, is charged with murder. David Reyneros, 25, faces an evidence tampering charge. Ortiz and Reyneros are both from Fargo. 29-year-old Joseph Poitra, who has no permanent address, is charged withy accomplice to murder.
Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Ryan Younggren, the lead prosecutor on the case, said it is believed that Phillip Bergquist, 32, was stabbed to death Saturday night.
“It was a stabbing that was done by Ortiz,” Younggren said. “He was assisted by Poitra. After the fact, some of the items that were contraband in the case or had blood on them were discarded by Reyneros.”
Younggren said it appears some type of dispute between those charged and Bergquist led to the stabbing. He says drinking was likely a factor.
All four men were considered homeless. Police Chief Dave Zibolski said members of the homeless community, many of them known to officers, provided information that led to the arrests.
Police interviews, downtown video, and other evidence were used to put the case together.
“Anytime there’s a situation where there’s a loss of life, it affects us all in the community,” Younggren said. “As prosecutors, we try to be objective about it and look at it from the criminal justice side and do the very best we can. Of course, no one has been tried or convicted yet, and they are presumed innocent until they are.”
Bergquist was the grandson of long-time Fargo television weatherman Dewey Bergquist.
