In the quiet community of Lake Crystal, Minnesota, the life of 57-year-old Kristi Joy Gardner, a White female, was tragically cut short on January 9, 2025. A concerned friend discovered her unresponsive inside a residence and immediately alerted authorities. When law enforcement arrived at the home located just north of Highway 60, they found Gardner deceased at the scene. The initial assessment of the circumstances surrounding her death led investigators to deem it as suspicious.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the nature of the tragedy, ruling her death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds. As the investigation unfolded, details emerged about Gardner's personal life, including a relationship she had been in with a 64-year-old man from New Ulm named Gary Rodewald. This information led authorities to seek him out for questioning.
The search for Rodewald concluded early the following morning when he was found unresponsive in his garage in New Ulm. He had sustained an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was transported to a hospital in Minneapolis for medical treatment. He remained in critical condition for a few days before succumbing to his injuries on January 11, 2025. With Rodewald's death, the investigation pivoted to what authorities believe was a murder-suicide. It was later revealed that Rodewald had a history of convictions for violating Harassment Restraining Orders and Orders for Protection dating back to 2000, though it is not clear who the orders were against.
Kristi Joy Gardner was remembered as a dedicated and compassionate nurse who had worked at the Mankato Clinic for nearly three decades. Described as an awesome nurse and a kind friend, she was a beloved mother to five children and a grandmother to ten. Her obituary paints a picture of a woman who found joy in simple pleasures like cooking, gardening, solving puzzles, and spending time with her family. Her sudden and violent death left her family, friends, and the community mourning the loss of a woman described as having an unshakable spirit and a heart of gold.
