Family of Minneapolis dad killed in stabbing searching for answers after no arrests

The family of a Minneapolis man killed in a stabbing Saturday evening is searching for answers as police work to put together the pieces.

Joe Eder, a Minneapolis resident and father of two, had just celebrated his 47th birthday. He was on his way to drop off a bike he planned to store at his sister's house Saturday night.

At 8:25 p.m., he told her he was on his way. It would be the last his family would hear from him.

On Sunday morning, a passerby discovered Joe lying on the lawn on the 4200 block of Portland Avenue. His car was parked just feet away, in the bike lane. The keys were still in the ignition and his valuables were still inside.

None of it makes sense to his family. It was the route he would have traditionally taken to see his sister, who lives in Richfield, Minnesota.

"He was a gentle guy. He's quiet," said Eder's sister, Susan. "The hours between 9 p.m.Saturday night and 6:45 a.m. Sunday morning when he was found are a complete mystery. There's a void there, that's what we want to fill in."

Eder says her brother was a kind, soft-spoken man, a father of two young children; he taught students how to operate drones, while operating his own drone videography business. He was also an avid athlete, running marathons, triathlons, and a recent Ironman.

Susan says she hopes someone nearby saw what happened, even if it was inadvertently.

"I think somebody saw something unusual – or heard something unusual and dismissed it – that's normal, you're in the middle of a city. But that might be information that could be helpful to them figuring out what happened in those nine hours. Because right now it's a complete void," she said.

"It's not just some guy. It's not just a random person no one cared about that this happened to. He's a really important person. To us, my parents, his daughters," she said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact MPD by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845 to leave a voicemail.

Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online. All tips to CrimeStoppers are anonymous, and information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.