Minnesota Man Cut Foot Off Victim, Left Murdered Body In Storage Container, Authorities Say

A Minnesota man who had a heavy storage container is charged with putting a murdered man inside it, cutting off one of his feet and leaving him along a roadside.

Bradley Weyaus Jr., 21, made his first court appearance Thursday, KMSP-TV reported. That was two days after public works employees opened the container near Mille Lacs Lake and noticed the severed right foot.

Authorities called to the scene reportedly found a man with several pellets in his throat area. The pellets were similar to buckshot.

The Star-Tribune identified the victim as Rodney Pendegayosh, Jr., 25. Relatives had reported him missing Monday.

Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton said Thursday he's not prepared to release a possible motive.

“We are still following up on a few things," Burton explained.

Weyaus was suspected because he had what officers call an “unusually heavy storage container” for several days. He drove toward the location of that container Tuesday, and reportedly sped away when officers tried to pull him over.

Weyaus was arrested after he reportedly got out of the car with duffel bags and went inside a building. A police complaint claims one bag had a hammer and hacksaw inside.

Weyaus already was in trouble with the law in Minnesota. Warrants were issued for his arrest for theft, burglary and drug paraphernalia possession, as well as fraud with lottery tickets.

Weyaus will have his next scheduled court appearance Tuesday, April 4.