Family of Cold Spring group home worker fatally stabbed reflects on their loss

Glapoujay Garmondeh, known as Jay, cared about others too much. 

That was the only fault that G. Gbayou Garmondeh could offer when he reflected on his son, killed just three days shy of his 31st birthday. 

"He cares for the people. He really really really really really cared for people," Garmondeh said. 

According to police, a man fatally stabbed Jay at an adult foster home on June 27 in Cold Spring, Minnesota, where Jay worked. Garmondeh said that the man prosecutors believe is responsible, 33-year-old Luke McLane, was a resident. 

"Somebody that he loved to serve. Somebody that he was there for," G. Gbayou Garmondeh said. 

According to the criminal complaint, police arrived at the scene on the 400 block of Eighth Avenue North to find Jay outside the home with a neck injury.

Witnesses at the scene told police that McLane, who was outside and covered in blood, had run at the victim with a knife, the 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, charges say.

The home, operated by Catholic Charities, provides housing services to adults with mental disabilities. G. Gbayou Garmondeh and Jay's twin brother, Glapougbae Garmondeh, said that Jay was working there part-time in order to ensure he could provide his two children with a stellar education while also allowing him to send money back home to his older sister. 

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.

The president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud said at the time that the nonprofit would conduct its own internal review in addition to the external police investigation. The organization declined to provide further comment on Friday, citing the investigations. 

"Our focus remains on supporting our employees and those who were impacted by this loss. We appreciate your understanding," a spokesperson said. 

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.