Rochester, Minn. — A man has been sentenced in connection with the murder of a young woman in Rochester nearly three years ago. Timothy Loftus, 44, faced the court for his role in the death of Tia Arleth, 28, along with a felony drug conviction that stemmed from a separate incident.
Arleth went missing on May 29, 2022, following her last appearance in the vicinity of Loftus’s home. Her body was discovered two weeks later in a farm field southeast of the city, prompting a police investigation. Authorities found evidence indicating that Arleth’s cell phone was left at Loftus’s residence until its battery died a couple of days after her last sighting.
According to the criminal complaint, a witness informed police that Loftus had disclosed to him that Arleth’s death was the result of opioid use after he provided her the drugs. This led to Loftus being charged with third-degree murder, as well as felony counts of concealing human remains and other drug-related offenses.
In a plea agreement reached earlier this year, Loftus accepted a guilty plea for interference with a dead body in relation to Arleth’s murder, alongside a separate second-degree drug charge. Following this agreement, multiple charges against him were dismissed.
On Monday, Loftus was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his involvement in Arleth’s death, alongside a 100-month term for the drug charge. The sentences will be served concurrently, allowing for a unified term in prison.
The case sheds light on the tragic consequences of substance abuse and the complexities surrounding fatal overdoses. As the community grapples with the impact of such incidents, the legal proceedings serve as a reminder of the deep-rooted issues affecting many individuals and families.