20-year-old woman killed by co-worker armed with her sledgehammer, MN cops say

A man armed with a sledgehammer killed his 20-year-old co-worker he later said he didn’t like, Minnesota authorities say.

David Bruce Delong, 40, is now charged with second-degree murder following the Nov. 11 killing of his Advanced Process Technologies co-worker, identified in media reports as 20-year-old Amber Czech, according to Wright County officials.

Wright was seen in surveillance footage leaving his workstation at the Cokato manufacturer and going to Czech’s, then taking her sledgehammer, deputies said in a statement of probable cause.

He then swung the sledgehammer “in a horizontal movement” toward Czech, authorities said. When she fell to the ground, he is accused of striking her four more times with the sledgehammer “in a downward fashion.”

“Despite medical care received by the victim, the victim died because of blunt force trauma to her head and corresponding blood loss,” according to the statement of probable cause.

Deputies said a bloody sledgehammer was discovered next to Czech, who WCCO reported worked as a welder for the manufacturer.

Delong admitted to a separate co-worker about the attack, saying, “I hit her with your hammer, she is by your toolbox, she is gone,” authorities said.

Interviewed by deputies, Delong said he had planned to kill Czech, according to the statement of probable cause.

“The defendant admitted not liking the victim,” deputies said. “The defendant said he has been planning to kill the victim for some time.”

Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes said Delong’s second-degree murder charge could be upgraded to first-degree murder.

In a Nov. 12 statement to WCCO, Advanced Process Technologies said it was “heartbroken by yesterday’s tragedy” and has paused production at the facility for the rest of the week.

“Our hearts are with their family, friends and all who are grieving this loss,” the manufacturer said on Facebook. “We are working closely with law enforcement as they investigate this event and focused on supporting our employees and the victim’s family.”

Czech graduated in the spring from Alexandria Technical & Community College, where KARE reported she had completed a 10-month welding technology program.

“She exemplified the qualities we strive to instill in all our students — hard work, determination and professionalism,” the college said in a statement to KARE.

Cokato is about a 50-mile drive northwest from Minneapolis.