Charge: St. Paul priest strangled to death by man he was taking to mental health evaluation

posted in: Society | 0

A St. Paul man told police he heard voices in his head Thursday afternoon while a priest was taking him to Regions Hospital for a mental health evaluation and strangled the 76-year-old in a car on the side of a road, a charge filed Friday says.

Nathan Wondra, 32, called 911 around 12:40 p.m. and said he was having a psychotic break and had “choked out” an elderly priest in a vehicle along Interstate 94 in St. Paul, the charge says. St. Paul police identified the man Friday as Lawrence Johnson of St. Paul.

Nathan Wondra (Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

Wondra told dispatch that voices in his head told him to kill the man to save humanity, and that he choked Johnson with his arms around his neck and killed him. He said that he had not been breathing for around a half-hour, the charge says.

Minnesota State troopers were sent to I-94 near Prior Avenue on a report of an assault and located a silver Mitsubishi parked on the road’s shoulder. Wondra was in the front passenger seat, and Johnson was in the driver’s seat. Wondra said he had just murdered someone, the charge says.

Wondra told the trooper that he had been hearing voices and having visions for the past five days. He said Johnson was taking him to the hospital when he heard voices that told him to kill him.

Medics responded and worked on reviving Johnson while he was transported to Regions Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:35 p.m.

Wondra was arrested with blood on his left wrist and shirt. St. Paul police officers recovered a large Bible on the passenger floorboard that Wondra “hoped he could have returned as it had been a gift,” the charge says.

Johnson was ordained in 1975 and has been retired since 2009, according to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

“I ask you to join me in praying for the repose of the soul of our brother, Father Larry Johnson,” Archbishop Bernard Hebda wrote in a message to clergy of the Archdiocese. “… 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.”

Father figure

Officers brought Wondra to police headquarters, where he agreed to speak to investigators.

Wondra said he met Johnson at Wondra’s workplace about a year ago. He said the priest would text and check in on him, and they would have lunch together maybe once a month. Johnson was like a father figure to him, he told police, according to the charge.

Wondra said he had spent the night at Johnson’s apartment for the first time the night before and that they went to Mass in the apartment chapel that morning around 9 a.m. Wondra lived at the Leo C. Byrne Residence for retired priests, which is near the University of St. Thomas.

After Mass, Wondra wanted Johnson to drive him to Regions Hospital. Wondra described having a “weak moment” and the voices in his head told him “it was his last chance to save humanity,” the charge says. Wondra asked Johnson to pull to the side of the road.

Wondra said he strangled Johnson with his hands around his neck and that the strangulation took a long time and that Johnson suffered, the charge says. Wondra said he first used both hands to choke Johnson, but he later put his left arm around his neck in a headlock to choke him. Wondra checked Johnson for a pulse a couple of times during the killing.

Wondra said a man parked behind them on the side of the road, approached the passenger side of the car, looked in and stood there for a bit before returning to his car and driving 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 charge says. He said the voices did not tell Wondra to call 911, that he did that on his own. He said the voices stopped after he killed Johnson.

Wondra admitted he knew choking Johnson was wrong, but the “voices in his head told him (Johnson) needed to be a martyr for something bigger,” the charge says. Wondra said he had been fasting to rid his body of Satan and that it was “like there was a demon inside him.”

Wondra admitted that it was possible that something like this could happen again, and he didn’t want officers to remove his handcuffs during their interview, the charge says. Wondra said he had not been previously diagnosed with any mental health issues. He said he’d been trying to naturally work through his anxiety problems.

When left alone in the interview room, Wondra wondered aloud how this saved humanity, the charge says. He said he should have stopped and talked to Johnson who was trying to help him. Wondra said Johnson was a “good guy.”

Johnson worked at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Chaska, St. Martin and St. Walburga in Rogers, St. John the Evangelist in Hopkins, St. Joseph in Red Wing, Presentation of Mary in Maplewood, St. Gregory the Great in North Branch, Sacred Heart in Rush City, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Ascension in Minneapolis, St. Scholastica in Heidelberg, Minn., St. Wenceslaus in New Prague, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Bloomington, according to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Lives with father

Related Articles

Crime & Public Safety |


Minnesota Supreme Court vacates murder conviction in 2021 ‘assassin-like’ homicide

Crime & Public Safety |


Texas man pleads guilty to carjacking outside Inver Grove Heights strip club

Crime & Public Safety |


Passenger reports assaulting driver on I-94 in St. Paul, leading to homicide investigation

Crime & Public Safety |


North St. Paul police: 3 juveniles hurt in stabbings, one with life-threatening injuries

Crime & Public Safety |


St. Paul police investigating fatal shooting in Frogtown neighborhood

Wondra’s father told investigators that Wondra lives with him, and that he had not noticed any mental health issues or recent changes to his son’s behavior. He added that Wondra had not been feeling well lately, according to the charge.

Wondra was charged with second-degree murder and was scheduled to go before a judge Friday afternoon. He remained at the Ramsey County jail in lieu of $2 million bail.

Minnesota court records show Wondra does not have any past criminal cases.

Mara H. Gottfried contributed to this report.

Fringe Review: Backed by an 11-piece orchestra, ‘Transition’ shows joy and anxiety of trans identities

posted in: News | 0

Must see

Emily Boyajian presents “Transition: A Story of Two Trans People Becoming Themselves,” a story through dialogue, singing, an 11-piece string and brass band and spoken word about the anxious and somber, yet joyful and jubilant, journeys of two trans people transitioning toward their true selves. Their anxiety over declaring and embracing their trans identities comes as they face hostility from people and institutions, including the state, who do not understand them and actively seek to erase their existence. Guaranteed tearjerker.

Presented by Emily Boyajian at Mixed Blood Theater; 8:30 p.m. Aug. 5, 7 p.m. Aug. 7, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 4 p.m. Aug. 10

Still trying to decide what to see? Check out all our Fringe reviews at twincities.com/tag/fringe-festival, with each show rated on a scale of Must See, Worth Considering, Could Be Worse or You Can Skip.

The Minnesota Fringe Festival is presenting more than 100 hourlong stage acts from Aug. 1–11 around Minneapolis. Visit MinnesotaFringe.org for ticket and show information.

Related Articles

Theater |


Fringe review: In ‘Peña Flamenca,” last-minute performers attempt to push boundaries of flamenco

Theater |


Fringe Review: In ‘Material Boy Living In A Madonna World,’ a comedian recounts his upbringing inspired by his pop heroine

Theater |


Fringe Review: ‘A Strong and an Outstretched Arm’ is an honest coming-of-age story

Theater |


Fringe review: ‘Good Ones’ skewers ‘Minnesota nice’ and Minneapolis liberalism

Theater |


Fringe review: ‘Secrets Under the Christmas Tree’ is a wholesome comedy with a — mostly — satisfying ‘whodunit’ mystery

Trump is making his 2024 campaign about Harris’ race, whether Republicans want him to or not

posted in: Politics | 0

By STEVE PEOPLES and MATT BROWN

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has found tremendous success from the very first moment he stepped onto the presidential stage by stoking racial animus.

Democrats expressed new outrage this week at the former president’s derisive and false charge that Vice President Kamala Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian heritage, only recently “turned Black” for political gain. Some Republicans — even from within Trump’s own campaign — seemed to distance themselves from the comment.

But Trump’s rhetoric this week, and his record on race since he entered politics nearly a decade ago, indicate that divisive attacks on race may emerge as a core GOP argument in the three-month sprint to Election Day — whether his allies want them to or not.

A Trump adviser, granted anonymity Thursday to discuss internal strategy, said the campaign doesn’t need to focus on “identity politics” because the case against Harris is that she is “so liberal it’s dangerous.” The adviser pointed to Harris’ record on the Southern border, crime, the economy and foreign policy.

In a sign that Trump may not be coordinating his message with his own team, the Republican presidential nominee doubled down on the same day with a new attack on Harris’ racial identity. He posted on his social media site a picture of Harris donning traditional Indian attire in a family photo.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican who has endorsed Trump, was among a number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill who said Thursday that the rhetoric around race and identity is not “helpful to anyone” this election cycle.

“People’s skin color doesn’t matter one iota,” Lummis said in an interview.

Trump turned to an old tactic against Harris

It’s been less than two weeks after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Harris. Trump has had to pivot from campaigning against an 81-year-old white man showing signs of decline to facing a 59-year-old Black woman who is drawing much larger crowds and new enthusiasm from Democratic donors.

Trump went to the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday. In an appearance carried live on cable news and shared widely online, he falsely suggested Harris misled voters about her race.

“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump said Wednesday.

At a Pennsylvania rally hours later, Trump’s team displayed years-old news headlines describing Harris as the “first Indian-American senator” on the big screen in the arena. And Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, told reporters traveling with him that Harris was a “chameleon” who changed her identity when convenient.

Harris attended Howard University, the historically Black institution where she pledged the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and has often talked throughout her career about being both about being Black and Indian American.

Trump’s team argued that his message on race is part of a broader pitch that may appeal to some Black voters, although very few allies defended his specific rhetoric this week.

“What impacts our historic gains with Black voters is President Trump’s record when compared to Kamala’s,” said Trump campaign senior adviser Lynne Patton, pointing to the “cost of living, securing the border, deporting Kamala’s illegal aliens, making neighborhoods safe again and keeping men out of women’s sports.”

Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz said he explored racial politics during a Wednesday focus group with swing voters almost immediately after Trump’s interview. He found that Harris may be vulnerable to criticism based on her gender, but race-based attacks could hurt Trump among the voters that matter most this fall.

Much has changed, Luntz said, since Trump rose to prominence by questioning the citizenship of Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president.

“Trump seems to think that he can criticize her for how she’s dealt with her race. Well, no one’s listening to that criticism. It simply doesn’t matter,” Luntz said. “If it’s racially driven, it will backfire.”

Eugene Craig, the former vice chair of the Maryland Republican Party, said that Trump “got what he wanted” at the NABJ convention but that the substance of his argument risked being more offensive than appealing.

“The one thing that Black folks will never tolerate is disrespecting Blackness, and that goes for Black Republicans too,” said Craig, who is Black and worked as a staffer for conservative pundit Dan Bongino’s 2012 Senate campaign. He is now supporting Harris.

Trump has a long history of racist attacks

Trump has frequently used race to go after his opponents since he stepped into presidential politics nearly a decade ago.

Trump was perhaps the most famous member of the so-called “birther” movement questioning where Obama was born. He kicked off his first campaign by casting Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and drug traffickers and later questioned whether a U.S. federal judge of Mexican heritage could be fair to him.

While in the White House, Trump defended a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, and suggested that the U.S. stop accepting immigrants from “shithole” countries including Haiti and parts of Africa. In August 2020, he suggested Harris, who was born in California, might not meet the Constitution’s eligibility requirements to be vice president.

And just two weeks after formally entering the 2024 campaign, he dined with notorious white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

Trump won in 2016 but lost reelection in 2020 to Biden by close margins in several swing states. He swept the 2024 Republican primary even while facing a raft of criminal charges.

Some Trump critics worried that his racial strategy might resonate with a significant portion of the electorate anyway. Voters will decide in November whether to send a Black woman to the Oval Office for the first time in the nation’s nearly 250-year history.

“I hope Trump’s attacks on Harris are just him flailing about ineffectively. But put together Trump’s shamelessness, his willingness to lie, his demagogic talent, and the issue of race — and a certain amount of liberal complacency that Trump is just foolish — and I’m concerned,” Bill Kristol, a leading conservative anti-Trump voice, posted on social media Thursday.

The Harris campaign thinks there’s little upside for Trump

A Harris adviser described the moment as an opportunity to remind voters of the chaos and division that Trump breeds. But the adviser, granted anonymity to discuss internal strategy, said it would be a mistake for Democrats to engage with Trump’s attacks on race at the expense of the campaign’s broader focus on key policies.

Related Articles

National Politics |


Walz sidesteps questions about being a candidate for Kamala Harris’ running mate

National Politics |


Trump ramps up his defense of Vance after one of the rockiest VP rollouts in recent memory

National Politics |


Harris calls Trump’s false claims about race ‘the same old show’ of divisiveness and disrespect

National Politics |


Donald Trump’s gag order remains in effect after hush money conviction, New York appeals court rules

National Politics |


What polling shows about the top VP contenders for Kamala Harris

So long as the campaign does not get distracted, the adviser said, Harris’ team believes there is little political upside for Trump to continue attacking Harris’ racial identity.

Harris told a gathering of a historically Black sorority on Wednesday that Trump’s attack was “the same old show: the divisiveness and the disrespect.”

On the ground in at least one swing state, however, there were signs that Trump’s approach may be resonating — at least among the former president’s white male base.

Jim Abel, a 65-year-old retiree who attended a rally for Vance in Arizona on Wednesday, said he agreed with Trump’s focus on Harris’ racial identity.

“She’s not Black,” Abel said. “I’ve seen her parents. I’ve pictures of her and her family and she’s not Black. She’s looking for the Black vote.”

But several high-profile Republican voices disagreed.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro posted on X a picture of a road sign with two directions. One led to, “Attack Kamala’s record, lies and radicalism,” while the other, “Is she really Black?”

“I dunno guys, I just think that maybe winning the 2024 election might be more important than having this silly and meaningless conversation,” Shapiro wrote.

Brown reported from Chicago. AP writers Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick and Farnoush Amiri in Washington; and Gabriel Sandoval in Glendale, Arizona, contributed to this report.

Best tree pruners

posted in: Society | 0

Tree pruners

Overhanging branches can block your garden or yard from getting the necessary sunlight, becoming safety hazards over time and potentially causing lawn or property damage. Pruning trees every so often can keep them looking healthy and vibrant.

Tree pruners come in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes. Depending on your situation, you’ll want to choose a pruner that has the proper functionality. Our number one pick, the Black and Decker Lithium-Ion Pole Saw, has a powerful, long-lasting battery to help you get the job done with minimal effort.

What to know before you buy a tree pruner

Pruner style will play an essential role in your decision. Some tree pruners are manually operated, using either handles or ropes to control the blades, while others are battery or gas-powered. You’ll want to learn a bit about each style to see which makes the most sense for your needs.

Type of tree pruners

Pruning shears

You may already be familiar with pruning shears, seeing as they are one of the most common gardening tools. These pruners are small handheld options, similar to giant scissors, designed for cutting shrubs, flowers, bushes and smaller tree branches. Pruning shears won’t work well for large branches, but they can help keep your landscaping and gardens look tidy and manicured.

Loppers

Loppers are essentially long-handled pruning shears, offering larger blades and more leverage, best used for small and medium-sized branches with a diameter of 2 inches or less. Compared to shears, the longer handles allow you to access harder-to-reach areas.

Manual pole pruners

If you need extended reach, a pole pruner is your best option. While loppers might only give you an extra foot or two of extension, pole pruners utilize a long sturdy pole, usually adding 10-20 feet. Some pole pruners might have squeezable handles controls, while others will feature pullable ropes to maneuver the blades. These pruners are great for tall trees and small to medium-sized branches.

Pole saws

With a reach comparable to pole pruners, pole saws are available in electric-powered, battery-powered, gas-powered and manual versions. These models will feature either a curved saw blade or a motorized blade similar to a chainsaw.

Electric and battery-powered pole saws are simple, relatively quiet and offer decent power when cutting through rigid branches. Gas engines give pole saws more substantial power but emit more fumes and tend to be on the noisy side. Manual pole saws require the most physical effort but are usually the most affordable option of the three.

What to look for in a quality tree pruner

Extension and reach

Depending on the type of trees on your property, you’ll need to find a pruner with adequate reach. If you’re dealing strictly with low hedges or bushes, loppers and shears might do the trick. For anything higher up, you’ll require a pole pruner or pole saw. Always check the length of a pruner before making a purchase.

Some models are extendable, having both a minimum and maximum length listed. As important as choosing a pruner with a long enough handle is, selecting a model that’s too long can make trimming difficult on lower branches.

Manual vs. motorized

Before buying a pruner, you’ll need to decide if you prefer a manual or motorized style. Manual options require the least amount of maintenance but will give your arms a workout when pruning multiple or large branches.

Automatic motorized pruners are much easier to use but can be costly and require frequent charging or refueling, as well as blade oiling. Gas-powered models will require additional maintenance to keep the engine in top shape.

Weight

Keep the total weight of the pole, blade, battery, engine and other components in mind when choosing your pruner. To achieve a comfortable grip and safe even cut, the pruner should feel balanced in your hands.

Branch size

The majority of pruners will have a rating describing the maximum branch size they are designed to cut effectively. Smaller shears and pruners may have a rating of less than one inch in diameter, while motorized pole saws can cut branches up to 8-9 inches thick.

How much you can expect to spend on a tree pruner

The least expensive pruning shears are available for under $10, though most mid-range tree pruners cost between $30-$100, with expensive motorized options ranging up to $200.

Tree pruner FAQ

When should you prune your trees?

A. You’ll achieve the best results if you prune live branches while the tree is dormant. This usually coincides with late winter and early spring, before the appearance of foliage. However, you can trim dead or unhealthy branches throughout the year.

Why is pruning important?

A. Pruning a tree properly can reduce the risk of falling limbs and the accompanying damage. It also benefits the tree’s overall health by stimulating new growth and removing diseased branches, making your tree more appealing.

What’s the best tree pruner to buy?

Top Tree Pruner

BLACK + DECKER 8-inch Lithium-Ion Pole Saw

What you need to know: This battery-powered saw is cordless and portable, making it easy to prune trees anywhere on your property.

What you’ll love: With a maximum reach of 14 feet, you can cut hard-to-reach branches with a diameter of up to 6 inches.

What you should consider: The heavy head can sometimes be tricky to balance.

Top tree pruner for the money

Corona Long Reach Cut ‘n’ Hold Pruner

What you need to know: A budget-friendly pruner that is great for small branches and twigs.

What you’ll love: The 46-inch reach lets you trim pesky mid-height branches without making a mess.

What you should consider: This pruner is not suitable for heavy-duty use or on branches more than 1 inch in diameter.

Worth checking out

 Sun Joe 8-inch Telescoping Electric Pole Chainsaw

What you need to know: This powerful backyard pruner, featuring an extension cord plug, is designed for large branches or small logs.

What you’ll love: The powerful 6.5 amp motor and telescopic pole lets you cut any branch up to 7.5 inches thick.

What you should consider: Depending on the length of your extension cord, you’ll have limited mobility.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.