Police say the victim was a 22-year-old woman from St. Cloud. Officers were called to an apartment building on the 3100 block of 40th Avenue South around 8:20 p.m. on Saturday for a reported medical emergency. When they arrived, they found Hallie Marie Tobler (née Johnson) deceased from multiple stab injuries.
Tobler was the daughter of Jeff Johnson, who is currently running for governor of Minnesota. Following the incident, Johnson announced he would pause his campaign “out of respect for his family and the magnitude of this loss,” according to a statement from the Republican Party of Minnesota.
Her 23-year-old husband, also a St. Cloud resident, was found with severe injuries and transported to a nearby hospital. Authorities say his condition is now stable. Once released, he is expected to be taken to Stearns County Jail, where homicide charges are pending.
In a statement, the St. Cloud Police Department said investigators believe the husband’s injuries were self-inflicted and that he is responsible for his wife’s death.
Jeff Johnson previously served on the St. Cloud City Council from 2010 to 2018 and later ran for Stearns County commissioner in 2020.
The Minnesota GOP expressed condolences, stating that no words can fully convey their sympathy for Johnson and his family, adding that the loss of a child is beyond comprehension.
The case remains under investigation with assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
