Background: The neighborhood on Castle Pines Drive in Mankato, Minn., where Joseph David Bulfer allegedly attacked a couple on April 26 (Google Maps). Inset: Joseph David Bulfer (Blue Earth County Sheriff”s Office).
A Minnesota man allegedly broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend and killed her new boyfriend before assaulting her in a bathtub.
Joseph David Bulfer, 44, is behind bars at the Blue Earth County Jail after being charged with murder, attempted murder, assault, and other charges. According to a Facebook post from the City of Mankato, police were dispatched to a townhome in Mankato, Minnesota, on Sunday afternoon after a neighbor thought they heard gunshots coming from the home next door. When they arrived, they encountered Bulfer and quickly detained him.
According to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, they searched the home and found a 37-year-old woman bleeding and cowering in a bathtub. In the bedroom, they found 52-year-old Joshua Robert Downey, deceased from “catastrophic injuries.”
While the woman was at the hospital being treated for a head laceration, a collapsed lung, and broken ribs, police questioned her about the incident. She identified Downey as her current boyfriend, and told police she had previously dated Bulfer but broke up with him in December 2025. According to the complaint, the woman said Bulfer had called her earlier on Sunday, saying that he wanted to talk to her. She told Bulfer that she was going to church and running errands that day.
According to the complaint, the woman and Downey were watching movies at her townhome around 1:30 p.m. when she heard someone come through the front door, which she said was locked. She said she heard someone running up the stairs, then Bulfer allegedly came into the bedroom and fired multiple shots from an AR-15 at Downey. Police said Bulfer told the woman, “she did this and this was all her fault,” forcing her to look at Downey.
Police said Bulfer forced the woman into her bathroom, where he hit her in the head with the “butt stock” of his rifle. According to the complaint, Bulfer continued to beat the woman and instructed her to get into the bathtub “so he could drain her blood.”
In the complaint, police said the deceased victim called 911 himself around the same time as the woman’s neighbor to report that he had been shot with an AR-15. As the line remained open, the woman picked up the phone to tell dispatchers that Downey was dead. The conversation between Bulfer and his ex-girlfriend could be heard, including several alleged threats by Bulfer. Among the statements attributed to Bulfer were “you just caused [Victim 1] to die” and “Do you want me to pull the trigger[?]”
Police said Bulfer was taken into custody without incident. After Bulfer was brought out of the home, he reportedly said, “I apologize for the inconvenience.” He refused medical attention and told police he “just wanted to go to jail.”
According to an autopsy, Downey had six gunshot wounds to his head and face, four gunshot wounds to his right arm and shoulder, one to his left arm, and a graze wound to his torso.
Bulfer was charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of assault, three counts of burglary, and one count of felony possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 7.
