Woman who covered up Moorhead murder sentenced to time served

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR/KFGO) – A judge has sentenced a Moorhead woman to time already served after her guilty plea to helping cover up a murder.

Twenty-seven-year-old Andrea Payne admitted to knowing that her roommate, Dystynee Avery, had been killed.  Payne was sentenced to 378 days already spent in jail.

Payne, Avery and 28-year-old Ethan Broad were sharing a south Moorhead apartment when Avery was killed in April, 2020. Broad is charged with the murder.

Clay County prosecutors say Broad killed Avery, cut up her body in his garage and threw the body parts in a dumpster.  The remains were later recovered from a landfill near Hawley, Minn.

Two other men are also accused of trying to cover up the murder.  Broad pleaded guilty, but then withdrew his plea.