Montevideo bartender fatally stabbed; community and friends left only with questions
MONTEVIDEO, Minn. — Co-workers and friends of a Montevideo man are looking for answers, one week after he was found stabbed to death.
The body of 69-year-old Mitch Twite was found near downtown Montevideo last Monday morning. John Lauritsen was there Monday and talked with people who were close to Twite.
"Right away, 'oh hey kid. How are you doing honey?' Always, never missed a hi or anything," said Jamie Moore, co-worker and friend.
For 30 years, Mitch Twite was a well-known bartender at Inn Like Flinn's in Montevideo. His co-workers loved him for his charm and sense of humor.
"Mostly he became a friend. Mitch was my bud. That's what he said. You're my bud," said Alicia Schutte, co-worker and friend.
He was a face they saw every day, which is why news of his death was such a shock.
Flowers near the post office parking lot are where a postal worker found Twite's body, just after 6 in the morning.
He had been at Inn Like Flinn's the day before, and to his friends, everything seemed normal when he left. Other than saying Twite died of a stab wound, investigators haven't released much information.
"I don't know. It's hard to react. We live in a small town. There's lots of speculation right now as to what might have happened or what happened. And a lot of that is scary," said Schutte.
Moore made t-shirts and can koozies to honor Twite, and helped coordinate a vigil last Tuesday night in which more than 150 people attended. "See you Tuesday" was one of Twite's favorite sayings.
"You couldn't leave this bar without being told see you Tuesday! You couldn't, " said Moore. "We are all waiting around and we have no answers. We don't know anything. And as bartenders, especially me and Cassandra and anyone who works at night, it scares you.
A celebration of life will be held for Twite this coming Saturday at the Montevideo VFW, and friends plan to make a memorial bench for him to put outside of the Java River coffee shop.
The BCA is helping Montevideo police with the investigation.
