Minnesota Factory Worker Accused of Killing 20-Year-Old Co-Worker With Sledgehammer

COKATO, Minn. — Authorities say a violent workplace attack at a Minnesota manufacturing plant left a 20-year-old woman dead, and her co-worker is now facing murder charges.

The Wright County Attorney’s Office reports that 40-year-old David Bruce Delong has been charged after allegedly beating his co-worker, Amber Czech, to death with a sledgehammer at Advanced Process Technologies in Cokato.

Deputies were called to the facility on November 11 after a report of an injured worker. When they arrived, they found Czech with severe head trauma. She died at the scene from blunt-force injuries.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows Delong abandoning his workstation before repeatedly striking Czech with a sledgehammer. The video reportedly captures her collapsing to the floor as Delong continues the attack.

This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, and publicly available news sources.

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Investigators say Delong confessed, telling law enforcement that he intended to kill the victim and had been planning it for some time. Court documents state, “The defendant admitted not liking the victim. The defendant said he has been planning to kill the victim for some time.”

Another employee told authorities Delong approached him after the assault and said, “I hit her with your hammer, she is by your toolbox. She is gone.”

Delong was arrested and is currently charged with second-degree murder, though Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes said he intends to pursue an upgraded charge of first-degree premeditated murder. Delong is scheduled to appear in court on November 24.

Advanced Process Technologies released a statement calling the incident a “tragic event,” saying their thoughts are with the victim’s family and that they are fully cooperating with investigators while supporting employees during the aftermath.

Czech’s father told WCNC that his daughter will be deeply missed. He described her as outgoing, hardworking, and proud of her role as a welder — a skill she began pursuing in high school and continued to excel in at the plant.