I-94 homicide: Victim was a priest, suspect told 911 he was hearing voices

Priest strangled on I-94 in St. Paul

A Catholic priest was attacked by a man he was driving to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. The suspect called 911 and admitted to knowing what he did was wrong, but said "voices" told him to strangle 76-year-old Lawrence Johnson.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The man strangled on the side of a highway in St. Paul was a Catholic priest who was attacked by a man he was driving to the hospital.

The suspect, Nathan Thomas Wondra, 32, of St. Paul, is charged with second-degree murder.

The archdiocese confirmed the victim was 76-year-old Lawrence Johnson.

Law enforcement response

The criminal complaint states law enforcement responded to an area of Interstate 94 near Prior Avenue around 12:40 p.m. Thursday after a 911 caller reported he was "having a psychotic break" and "choked out" another man.

A state trooper then made contact with Wondra, who reportedly said he "just murdered someone" and had been hearing voices and having visions for days.

Wondra said Johnson was taking him to the hospital to be mentally evaluated.

The complaint shows Wondra said he knew choking Johnson was wrong. Law enforcement noted there was blood on Wondra's left wrist and shirt.

Law enforcement officials say they also recovered a large bible on the passenger floorboard and that Wondra was hoping to return it, as it "had been a gift."

Johnson was pronounced dead at the hospital around 1:35 p.m.

Police interview

Investigators questioned Wondra after advising him of his rights, after which Wondra confessed to strangling Johnson to death.

Wondra said to investigators during the interview that Johnson was "like a father figure" to him, adding that "their relationship was entirely platonic" according to the complaint. The two reportedly met where Wondra worked last year and had lunch "maybe once a month."

Wondra said he spent the previous night at Johnson's, which was the first time he had done so. He said they both went to mass at the apartment chapel around 9 a.m. that day.

It was after mass that Wondra said he began to hear voices, and asked Johnson to drive him to the hospital.

The complaint states that Wondra "described having a weak moment" and was being told "it was his last chance to save humanity" by the voices in his head.

While on the way to the hospital, Wondra reportedly asked Johnson to pull over to the side of the road. Wondra told police he then strangled Johnson, first with his hands and then with his left arm around Johsnon's neck in a headlock. Wondra added that he checked his pulse "a couple of times" during the attack, and that the voices stopped after he killed Johnson.

At some point, Wondra said that a man parked behind them on the side of the road. That man then approached the car, "looked in, stood there for a bit, then returned to his car and drove away."

Wondra then called 911, saying it was "the right thing to do" and that he wanted to take responsibility for what he had done. He added that he called 911 on his own and that the voices did not tell him to do so.

The criminal complaint states Wondra was told by the voices that Johnson "needed to be a martyr for something bigger." Wondra also said he was "fasting to rid his body of Satan" and asked officers not to remove his handcuffs because "something like this could happen again."

Wondra told police that he had not been diagnosed with any mental health issues, but that he was trying to work through his anxiety problems "naturally."

Wondra was then left alone in the interview room, and reportedly "wondered aloud how this saved humanity" according to the complaint.

Further investigation

Police then spoke with Wondra's father, who Wondra lives with, and said he did not notice any mental health issues or changes in behavior.

The father did add that Wondra "had not been feeling well lately."

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner concluded that Johnson died from a homicide caused by strangulation.

Archdiocese response

Archbishop Hebda shared the following statement with the clergy of the Archdiocese on Friday:

"I ask you to join me in praying for the repose of the soul of our brother, Father Larry Johnson. I write to let you know that, based on the information available at this time, our understanding is that law enforcement is investigating his death as a homicide. Please know that you, and the soul of Father Johnson, are in my prayers as we learn more about what happened in the coming days and work through this very tragic and difficult situation together."

Archdiocese officials say he retired in 2009 for health reasons after serving at various Minnesota parishes, including Bloomington, Minneapolis and New Prague.