St. Paul man charged in I-94 killing: He said voices told him to strangle 76-year-old priest

Murder charges filed Friday allege a St. Paul man strangled a 76-year-old priest on the side of Interstate 94 Thursday while en route to a mental health evaluation with the suspect telling police voices told him to commit the act.

Ramsey County prosecutors charged Nathan Thomas Wondra, 32, of St. Paul with second-degree murder in the killing of the Rev. Lawrence Johnson. Authorities arrested Wondra moments after he said voices told him to strangle Johnson in order to “save humanity.”

Wondra appeared in court Friday and is scheduled for another hearing Monday. His bail is set at $2 million. State court records show no civil commitments for Wondra related to his mental health.

According to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Johnson was ordained as a priest in 1975 and retired in 2009. He served at parishes throughout the metro, as well as southern Minnesota and most recently for seven years at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Chaska.

In a message sent by Archbishop Bernard Hebda to priests and deacons, Hebda asked for prayers “for the repose of the soul of our brother, Father Larry Johnson.”

“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.”

According to the criminal complaints:

Police were called at 12:40 p.m. to I-94 and Prior Avenue after a 911 caller said he was having a psychotic episode and had choked an elderly man. Wondra, the 911 caller, said the man, a priest, had not been breathing for about 30 minutes. Wondra told dispatchers voices in his head told him to kill the man “to save humanity.” Johnson was unconscious in the driver’s seat while Wondra was in the passenger seat.

Medics worked to revive Johnson, who was taken by emergency responders to Regions Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:35 p.m.

Wondra was arrested with blood on his left wrist and shirt. Police found a large Bible on the passenger floorboard “that Wondra hoped he could have returned as it had been a gift,” the complaint read.

He told investigators he met Johnson at his workplace last year, adding the priest was like a father figure to him — checking on Wondra and occasionally organizing lunch.

Johnson let Wondra stay at his home Wednesday, and Wondra said they attended Mass together the next morning. He asked Johnson to take him to Regions Hospital for a mental health evaluation afterward. That’s when Wondra said he had a “weak moment.”

For days, Wondra said, he saw visions and heard voices, telling investigators he had been fasting to “rid his body of Satan.”

As Johnson drove Wondra to the hospital, those voices told Wondra to kill Johnson. They said the priest must be a martyr “for something bigger.” Wondra told police he knew it was wrong but added the voices said it was his last chance to save humanity.

Wondra said he asked Johnson to pull over and began strangling Johnson with his hands. Wondra eventually put Johnson into a headlock and continued choking him, checking his pulse occasionally. He said at one point a man parked behind them on the side of the road approached the passenger side of the car, looked in, then returned to his car and drove away.

Wondra said he called 911 because it was “the right thing to do,” and he wanted to take responsibility for what he had done.

“The voices did not tell Wondra to call 911 — he did that on his own,” the complaint said. “The voices stopped after he killed [Johnson].”

While at police headquarters, Wondra asked officers to keep his handcuffs on for fear “something like this could happen again.” He said he had not previously been diagnosed with any mental health issues and had been trying to naturally work through his anxiety problems.

Wondra lives with his dad, who told investigators he noticed no changes or mental health issues in his son. But, he added, his son had not felt well lately.

In a previous interview, Sgt. Mike Ernster said the crime was “very unusual,” adding “it has some pieces to it that in my 30 years I have not seen.”

Wondra served six years with the Minnesota National Guard until he “voluntarily separated” and was honorably discharged in February 2023 as an Army specialist, said Guard Lt. Col. Kristen Augé. Wondra’s military occupational specialty was as a cannon crew member, Augé said.

Johnson’s death marked the 17th homicide in St. Paul this year, according to a Star Tribune database. There were 21 by this time last year.

Police are still investigating a fatal shooting Wednesday in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. The victim has been identified as Tirece Reed, 33, of Inver Grove Heights. No arrests have been announced in that case.

Star Tribune staff writers Paul Walsh and Elliot Hughes contributed to this story.