Welder Amber Czech, 20, Dies after Workplace Incident with Colleague

A small Minnesota town is reeling after a young woman's life was violently taken in what prosecutors describe as a premeditated act fueled by hostility and hate.

Amber Czech, just 20 years old, was found with severe head injuries at her station at Advanced Process Technologies in Cokato early Tuesday morning, November 11, 2025. Deputies from the Wright County Sheriff's Office rushed to the scene shortly after 6 a.m., following a 911 call from a coworker. Despite first responders' efforts, Czech was pronounced dead at the scene.

Now, prosecutors have charged 40-year-old coworker David Bruce Delong with her murder, alleging he not only planned the attack, but also admitted as much during his arrest.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by People, Delong harbored long-standing resentment toward Czech. Surveillance footage shows the two walking past each other without exchanging a word.

"They actually pass by each other but it doesn't even appear that they address or engage each other at all," Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes told the outlet.

A Routine Workday Ends in a Brutal, Premeditated Attack

Lutes described the horror that followed. "The first swing is horizontal," he said. "And I took that to mean she's standing upright at that time. And then he makes four more swings and they're very aggressive, violent, forceful swings."

The camera didn't capture the actual assault. After the attack, Delong reportedly approached a fellow worker and indicated something terrible had occurred. The coworker found Czech's lifeless body and alerted authorities. Delong is accused of telling the witness, "I hit her with your hammer, she is by your toolbox, she is gone."

When authorities detained him, Delong allegedly admitted he had long intended to harm her, according to the complaint, which outlines his claim of harboring resentment over a past interaction he interpreted negatively — an incident that reportedly didn't even occur on the day of the attack.

Lutes said the complaint indicates the perceived slight happened long before the attack and stemmed from nothing more than Delong's personal dislike of her, describing the reasoning as irrational and detached from reality.

According to Kare11 News, Delong is expected to appear in court on November 24, 2025, at 9 a.m.

Shock Turns to Outrage as Public Demands Justice

The murder has prompted a tidal wave of fury online. One commenter vented, "Man kills female co worker because he's a misogynist psychopath. There, I fixed the headline. You don't just kill someone because you don't like them, otherwise there'd be hardly anyone left!"

Another added, "She probably turned down his advances and his fragile male ego couldnt handle it." Others were stunned by the predator-like nature of the attack as a comment read, "She was 20 … he was 40!!!!! Why was she even on his mind?" And another echoed the same chilling realization, "It's never monsters you need to fear it's humans..... absolutely disturbing and evil."

As the anger continued to swell online, those closest to the deceased turned their focus to remembering the bright, determined young woman behind the headlines.

A young woman sitting on home sofa angrily types on her smartphone. | Source: Getty Images

Remembering a Talented Welder Driven by Passion and Principle

In the wake of the unimaginable grief, the victim's father, Pete Czech, described his daughter as outgoing, hardworking, and passionate about welding — a career path she discovered in high school. She graduated with honors from Alexandria Technical & Community College in spring 2024, completing its rigorous 10-month welding technology program.

Her obituary paints a vivid picture of a young woman whose life was grounded in faith, family, and craftsmanship. She got her start working with her uncle and soon earned a reputation for meticulous, high-quality welding. On her days off, she volunteered with the Hutchinson High School welding program, mentoring the next generation.

She loved basketball, fishing, Milwaukee tools, and the outdoors. Her personal motto was, "If you are not going to do it right, don't do it at all." The victim had only joined Advanced Process Technologies in July, where she built food and dairy processing equipment with pride and precision.

Her obituary further highlights her talent for translating complex designs into dependable, well-crafted equipment and her deep commitment to building a future in the trades.

The Trades Community Mourns One of Its Own

Czech's murder has reverberated across the trades — a space where women remain underrepresented and often vulnerable. A viral TikTok video called on the blue-collar community to stand together, while another creator wrote, "How absolutely heart breaking. REST IN PEACE you blue collar angel 💗💗 we stand with you! #AmberCzech #bluecollar #bluecollarwomen."

One Facebooker, Leah Marie, shared a photo and caption that captured the sorrow, "She was twenty years old and excited to be starting her career as [sic] welder. Not sure how you can rest in peace going out like that, but [...] I do know that not everyone has your back."

On another account on the platform, colleagues wore blue in her honor and posed for photos to keep her memory alive.

A Call for Change

A GoFundMe campaign, created by Shawn Labat and Shannon Visser, was set up in memory of Czech, a young woman whose warmth, humor, and upbeat spirit touched everyone she met. Funds raised will help cover funeral expenses and support the grieving family.

In addition, a memorial fund has also been set up at SouthPoint Bank, where donations can be made directly to the Amber Czech Memorial Fund.

Czech is survived by her parents, siblings, extended family, and an entire community determined not to let her story fade — a young welder whose spark was extinguished far too soon.

While the criminal case moves forward, those who knew and admired Czech are holding tight to the memory of the young welder who approached both her craft and her life with conviction and optimism. Their calls for accountability — and for safer, more supportive workplaces — now stand as part of her legacy, a reminder that her story must lead to change.