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  • Joel Marvin Munt allegedly shot his ex-wife at Rasmussen Woods while his children watched.

    Munt

November 1, 2010

Murder suspect requests visitation for kids

By Dan Nienaber Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — A man accused of murdering his wife while his children watched told a judge Monday that his children should be given the option of visiting him in jail.

Joel Marvin Munt, 34, was at a custody hearing for his three children when he made his request to see them. Joan, 8; Marvin, 6; and Mathew, 4, have been in foster care since Munt was arrested March 28.

He is facing several felony charges, including four counts of first-degree murder, for allegedly shooting his ex-wife, 32-year-old Svetlana Munt, at Rasmussen Woods. According to witnesses, he smashed his SUV into Svetlana Munt’s car and shot her while the children, who were in the car, watched. Then he stole another vehicle at gunpoint and took the children with him as he fled. Munt was arrested a short time later, but not before he called his girlfriend in the Twin Cities and told her Svetlana was dead, according to the criminal complaint.

Most of Monday’s hearing was dedicated to visitation requests by the maternal and paternal grandparents of the children. They have been allowed to visit the children twice a month at the Blue Earth County Human Services offices, but both Joel Munt’s parents and Svetlana Munt’s parents are competing for custody, said Mark Lindahl, the assistant Blue Earth County attorney representing the children.

Marvin and Joan Munt, Joel Munt’s parents, said they are in favor of having the children visit their son. Vladimir and Liudmila Budnyaya, Svetlana Munt’s parents, said they would object to any visitation. Lindahl also objected, saying there was likely an order in Munt’s criminal file that says he can’t have contact with potential witnesses.

“I don’t think it would be appropriate, in any manner, for Mr. Munt to have contact with the children at this time,” Lindahl said.

Mike Mountain, Joel Munt’s attorney for the custody case, asked Blue Earth County District Court Judge Bradley Walker to consider “structural” visitation. He said that could include electronic monitoring that would ensure Munt didn’t attempt to influence them as witnesses.

Walker then asked Joel Munt if he had anything to say.

“I think, at some point, people should care what the children want,” Joel Munt said. “I’m sure, if they were asked, they would say they want to see me.”

Walker said he would consider the request, but he wouldn’t change any no-contact orders from Munt’s criminal file. He also said he would follow Lindahl’s recommendation to talk to therapists working with the children to get their opinion about whether the children should be allowed to visit their father.

Both sets of grandparents also are working on getting their foster care licenses. Joel Munt’s parents live in northern Minnesota and are working through Koochiching County. Svetlana Munt’s parents live in the same Blue Earth County residence where she was living with the children before she was killed.

The Munts and Budnyayas are planning to request that the children be placed with them once their foster care requirements are fulfilled. Blue Earth County will then have to consider whether either, or neither, set of grandparents should take over foster care responsibilities, Lindahl said.

“It’s my understanding that the grandparents are competing for custody,” he said.

Final custody for the children won’t be decided until after Munt’s trial for the criminal charges. A trial date has not been set.

Walker said he would consider the foster care issues when they come up. He also asked Lindahl to arrange for both sets of grandparents to have more visitation time during the upcoming holiday season.

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