Cold Spring Man Indicted for First-Degree Murder in Group Home Death

(KNSI) – A man accused of killing an employee at a Cold Spring group home in June has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge.

Court records show a Stearns County grand jury indicted 33-year-old Luke McLane on Wednesday in the death of Glapoujay Gamondeh. The Stearns County Attorney’s Office identified Gamondeh as the victim. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, which runs the group home, has said he was an employee there.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the home in the 400 block of 8th Avenue North on the evening of June 27th and found Gamondeh on the ground outside with a severe neck wound. The complaint states a resident applied pressure while officers tried to save him, but he died at the scene.

Officers reported seeing McLane standing on the deck, yelling that he had told the victim he would do it, according to the complaint. Witnesses told police they saw McLane run at Gamondeh with a knife, and that before officers arrived he was on top of Gamondeh yelling “I’m going to kill you.” The complaint alleges that when a witness confronted him afterward, McLane responded, “I told you I was going to do it.”

Police say McLane pointed officers toward the roadway, where they recovered a knife. The complaint states surveillance video from inside the home showed McLane attack Gamondeh. A preliminary exam by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, according to court documents.

Police arrested McLane at the scene, and prosecutors originally charged him with second-degree murder. According to the county attorney’s office, Minnesota law requires a grand jury indictment to bring a premeditated first-degree murder charge or any other charge that carries a life sentence.

Prosecutors say McLane appeared in court Thursday, where his bail was raised to $3 million without conditions or $1.5 million with conditions. His next court appearance is set for October 12th.

McLane is charged with premeditated first-degree murder, which carries life in prison without the possibility of parole, and second-degree intentional murder with a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years.

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