The Tragic Murder of Cheyenne Clough: A Community Shaken
The murder of 19-year-old mother Cheyenne Clough in 2016 shocked the Maple Lake, Minnesota, community. What began as a dispute between housemates escalated into a deadly confrontation fueled by methamphetamine and accusations of betrayal. Cheyenne’s brutal killing resulted in multiple arrests and long prison sentences.
This case highlights the devastating effects of drug use on judgment and the far-reaching impacts of violence on families and communities. Cheyenne’s tragic story serves as a reminder of how quickly conflicts can turn deadly, leaving her 3-year-old son without a mother and forever altering the lives of those affected.
Defilement And Murder: The Path To Cheyenne Clough’s Demise
June 1, 2016 — Park visitors make a shocking discovery at Crow Springs County Park near Montrose, Minnesota. Cheyenne Clough, a 19-year-old mother, was critically wounded, shot multiple times in the head, neck, and shoulder. First responders took her to North Memorial Medical Center, where she fought to survive for three days before dying on June 4.
Cheyenne was born on April 4, 1997, to Marry Bliskowski and John Wesley Clough and raised in Fridley with two sisters, Jessica and Nicole. Family members called her a woman “who could light up even the dullest of rooms.” At 15, she became a mother to a boy named Elijah, who shortly became the light of her life.
The young mother had recently moved to Maple Lake, where she shared a house with four others: Justin Jensen, Shawn Benson, Natasha Brandenburger, and Callie Anderson. She had also met the love of her life, her boyfriend, Devon Boyles.
A night that should’ve gone according to plan among housemates went sideways when Cheyenne was caught in a web of betrayal. Trouble began when Jensen hired a bounty hunter to arrest Boyles on an outstanding warrant. That action outraged Cheyenne, who threatened to “turn in” Anderson on her warrant.
“Are you up? I am going home,” Cheyenne wrote in her last text, sent to her mother around 2:45 a.m. She never replied.
The Investigation: The Race To Catch The Fleeing Suspects
When officers started their murder investigation, they arrived to find Cheyenne’s Maple Lake home vacant. Her housemates had vanished. Detectives initially focused on two apparent suspects: her current boyfriend, Devon Boyles, and her ex-boyfriend, Darrian Edwards. They interrogated both men and checked their alibis, and ultimately, both were cleared.
All the while, evidence pointed toward Cheyenne’s missing housemates. Tips from the public and gas station surveillance video made it clear they were trying to escape to Canada. Just days after the murder, authorities arrested Justin Jensen, 28, Shawn Benson, 21, Natasha Brandenburger, 33, and Callie Anderson, 19, all in a town close to the Canadian border at International Falls.
Police also arrested Edward Zelko, 26, in Staples, and Thomas Nicholson, 26, who faces a charge of helping the suspects evade arrest. The Wright County investigation rapidly pinpointed and apprehended all those who had participated in the crime.
Court documents provided a harrowing account of the night’s events. Natasha’s statement explains how Cheyenne’s threats to report Callie’s warrant resulted in a physical fight between the women Jensen, high on meth, ratcheted up the stakes when he used his stolen. 22 caliber pistol to Benson and Zelko with instructions so chilling, they ordered him to “put two in the back of her head.”
THE MURDER PLOT — Betrayal Among Friends
What investigators uncovered was a cold-blooded murder plot. After arguing loudly and taking a lot of meth the night of May 31, around 2 a.m. on June 1, Jensen and Zelko went back to Jensen’s home. The two men were treating their meth injections while sitting in Zelko’s car.
Jensen, who cast Cheyenne as a “snitch” and “troublemaker,” devised a deadly plot. He told Brandenburger to fetch his—22 caliber revolver from the home before sending her to get Benson. Benson also injected meth outside, they wrote.
Jensen informed Benson and Zelko that Cheyenne was threatening to “take us all down” and instructed them to take her somewhere and kill her. The men then tricked Cheyenne, telling her they would take her home. Instead, they drove her to Crow Springs Park, where, just after 3 a.m., they used the revolver to shoot her four times.
Investigators were stunned by the brutality of the crime. What started in a household where tension centered on the arrest of a boyfriend led to murder in a matter of hours. The case underscored how drug use, especially methamphetamine, can cloud judgment and drive extreme violence.
Trial and Sentencing: Justice Served
It took nearly two years for the case to close in court. Justin Jensen pleaded guilty under an Alford plea to aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder on March 16, 2018. This unusual plea gave him some innocence while admitting the evidence against him. Shawn Benson accepted a plea deal four days later, on March 20, admitting to second-degree intentional murder.
On June 24, 2018, the third shooter, Edward Zelko, pleaded guilty. The sentences they received reflected the seriousness of their crimes. On May 29, 2018, Benson was sentenced to 40 years in prison with credit for 721 days already served. He was also directed to pay $8,405 in restitution to Cheyenne’s family. On May 31, Jensen was sentenced to the same 40 years with credit for 723 days served. Zelko was given a sentence of 30 years for his role in the murder.
These long sentences offered something like justice for Cheyenne’s family and her young son, Elijah, who would have to grow up without his mother. Soon after Cheyenne’s death, the family had set up a GoFundMe page to help with the boy’s future necessities.
Where Are Shawn Benson And Justin Jensen Today?
Shawn Benson and Justin Jensen are currently serving time at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater in Bayport, Minnesota. The medium-security prison, which is located about 20 miles east of Minneapolis, holds about 1,600 inmates.
Based on their 40-year sentences, both men are set to be released in 2043, when Benson will be 48 years old and Jensen will be 55. They will have served more than half their lives in prison for their involvement in Cheyenne’s murder.
The prison sentences exemplify Minnesota’s handling of violent crimes, especially those involving premeditated murder. The long half-sentences also touch upon the cruelty of Cheyenne’s death to her family and to her young son, who lost his mother when he was a toddler.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cheyenne Clough’s fate?
Clough was shot four times with a.. 22 caliber revolver in Crow Springs County Park on June 1, 2016. She died three days later of her injuries. Her housemate Justin Jensen plotted the murder, which Shawn Benson and Edward Zelko then carried out.
Why was Cheyenne Clough killed?
The killing was the result of house friction after Cheyenne threatened to turn in her housemate Callie Anderson for an outstanding warrant. Justin Jensen, under the influence of methamphetamine, came to see Cheyenne as a “snitch” who could “take them all down,” and ordered her killing.
How long did the killers get in prison?
Shawn Benson and Justin Jensen were both sentenced to 40 years in prison for second-degree intentional murder. Edward Zelko was sentenced to 30 years for his part in the crime. The three men are all serving their sentences.
Were drugs mentioned in the murder case?
Yes, methamphetamine use was a significant factor in the case. “Meth use was rampant” in the residence, court documents said. Jensen, Benson, and Zelko all used methamphetamine shortly before the murder occurred.
What happened to Cheyenne’s son after she died?
Following Cheyenne’s passing, her family and friends undertook a GoFundMe fundraiser to support her son Elijah’s future needs. She was a toddler when she was murdered and was raised by family members.
Final Words
Cheyenne Clough’s murder highlights how quickly arguments can escalate, especially involving drugs. A young mother with her life ahead of her lost everything over a domestic dispute, leaving her son Elijah without lasting memories of her.
For Maple Lake, the case shattered the community’s sense of safety and revealed how violence can erupt even among friends. While the lengthy prison sentences for Benson, Jensen, and Zelko offer some justice, they can’t bring back what was lost.
Cheyenne’s vibrant spirit, described by her family as capable of “lighting up even the dullest of rooms,” was taken too soon. As the primary perpetrators serve time at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater, Cheyenne’s family continues to heal and ensures her son knows the love his mother had for him.
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