Chris Lundegaard: Remembering the Victim of a Senseless and Violent Murder

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Adam Garcia, a man with a long criminal history and a history of civil commitments for drug-induced mental illness, has been charged with the random and violent murder of Chris Lundegaard. Lundegaard’s father, Bob Lundegaard, spoke about the devastating loss of his son, who they would have weekly phone conversations with every Sunday at 11 a.m. on the dot.

Bob Lundegaard described their tradition of discussing films and other interests during their conversations, emphasizing how punctual Chris always was. However, this tradition, along with many others, was abruptly ended when Chris was brutally killed at an Edina bus stop the night before Thanksgiving.

The man charged with the crime, Adam Garcia, has a history of mostly non-violent crimes, but one of his prior convictions bears an eerie resemblance to Lundegaard’s murder. In October 2019, Garcia was involved in a disturbing incident at the University of Minnesota. A student studying in the medical library at Diehl Hall grew uneasy when Garcia began watching him. After alerting security, the student was stabbed in the leg with a hypodermic needle from behind. When police located Garcia, he engaged in a violent confrontation, injuring one officer with a knife. Both the student and the officer were prescribed preventative medications due to Garcia’s positive test for Hepatitis C.

Bob Lundegaard expressed concern over whether enough attention was paid to prevent Garcia from repeating such violent acts. Following the 2019 incident, Garcia was temporarily civilly committed, with a doctor citing “methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder” and other mental and chemical dependency disorders. A judge determined that Garcia posed a substantial likelihood of causing physical harm. However, he was discharged from probation late last year, leading Bob to question why Garcia did not receive the necessary help.

As the court case proceeds, Chris Lundegaard’s family will remember the happy memories of their loved one while seeking justice for his senseless and tragic death. Ingrid Sundstrom Lundegaard, Chris’s stepmother, described him as a good human being.

In conclusion, the brutal murder of Chris Lundegaard has shattered a family and raised questions about the handling of Adam Garcia’s prior criminal and mental health issues. As the case unfolds, the focus remains on honoring Chris’s memory and ensuring that justice is served..