Man killed at Cold Spring group home was working alone the night of the attack, family says

According to those familiar with the matter, the man who police say was fatally stabbed at an adult foster home in Stearns County, Minnesota, was working by himself when he was attacked. 

Thirty-year-old Glapoujay Garmondeh, whose family said went by Jay, was a part-time employee at the St. Luke Home in Cold Spring, operated by Catholic Charities. A current employee, under the condition of anonymity, shared a staffing schedule with WCCO that shows that Jay was listed as working by himself across two back-to-back shifts on June 27. 

That evening, police say 33-year-old Luke McLane attacked Jay. Witnesses at the scene told police that McLane, who was outside and covered in blood, had run at the victim with a knife, the criminal complaint states. Charging documents say that witnesses saw McLane cut Jay's throat. When witnesses confronted him, the man said, "I told you I was going to do it," according to the documents. Surveillance video from the scene showed the man attacking the victim.

McLane has prior convictions for domestic assault, disorderly conduct and violating no-contact orders related to domestic abuse.

Jay's father, G. Gbayou Garmondeh, said that McLane was one of the residents in the St. Luke Home. He doesn't understand why Jay was working with him alone.

"If they had another person there with my son, maybe it would be a different story," G. Gbayou Garmondeh said. 

On July 22, the president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, Aaron Fisk, attended a Cold Spring City Council meeting to respond to numerous safety concerns raised by neighbors about the St. Luke Home. Fisk said that he attended Jay's funeral, describing it as one of the most painful things he has ever been part of. 

Taking questions from councilors and members of the public, Fisk said that there were three clients at the St. Luke Home on the night Jay was killed. He said that they have established that a staffing ratio of one employee to three clients is appropriate for that location. However, he side-stepped a specific question about how many staff members were working the night Jay was killed on June 27.

When a councilor asked him, "If you had to do it over again, would there be two there," Fisk responded, "There's so many things I would do over if I had a chance." 

Citing ongoing investigations, a spokesperson for Catholic Charities in St. Cloud declined to say if Jay was working alone. They provided a statement that indicates staffing numbers were at the correct level that evening. 

"Staffing levels are determined through an individualized planning process at intake and are reviewed at least annually. This process involves county representatives, case managers, support teams, assessments, service plans, and waiver-funded service authorizations to ensure supports are tailored to each client's needs," the statement reads. "While we cannot comment on the details of any client's staffing plan or how those decisions were made, we can confirm that the home was staffed as scheduled on June 27 and that staffing levels were consistent with the approved support plan in place at that time." 

Glapougbae Garmondeh, Jay's twin brother, said that he used to work for Catholic Charities in the St. Cloud area for about six years. He said that he would work shifts at the St. Luke Home and has raised concerns about staffing levels in the past. 

"We used to tell them we need more staff," Glapougbae Garmondeh said, "it's a safety concern, because like I say, I got slapped around by clients before." 

Fisk said at the time of Jay's death that the nonprofit would conduct its own internal review in addition to the external police investigation.

McLane is scheduled for a remote hearing in August. The prosecuting attorney listed in court documents said she is not making any statements. A public defender for McLane did not immediately respond to WCCO.   

Jay's story begins in Liberia. G. Gbayou Garmondeh said that he and his wife, Jay's mother, had nine children. G. Gbayou Garmondeh said that they were determined to ensure that each excelled in school, making as many sacrifices as possible to make it happen. Through tears, he smiled, noting that Jay and all of his siblings made them proud. 

The family moved to Oregon, where Jay began to find a foothold both academically and athletically as he grew up. He'd go on to achieve an engineering degree, which G. Gbayou Garmondeh said he used to achieve a full-time job in the field once he moved to Minnesota. He didn't leave his athletics behind, joining the amateur East Coast Stars soccer team in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

Jay and his wife had a boy and a girl, who are both under the age of four. Glapougbae Garmondeh said his brother was an amazing father. 

"I still can't comprehend all of this. Sometimes I just cry, just the pain and suffering that we have to go through as a family," Glapougbae Garmondeh said.