La Crosse man enters plea in homicide over parking spot at Menards; sentencing to be scheduled

A La Crosse man pleaded no contest Tuesday to reckless homicide in a fatal attack on a 79-year-old man during a dispute in a Menards parking lot. 

Matthew Kinstler will be sentenced in a few weeks for causing the death of Russell Paulson in May of 2020.  He is out on a $5,000 cash bond. Prosecutors recommended a 10-year prison term for the 51-year-old.

Paulson died of head trauma. Police believe Kinstler struck the victim with the man’s own walking stick. Kinstler had claimed Paulson accidentally injured himself. 

The argument started after Kinstler claimed Paulson parked too close to his car outside the Menards store on Lang Drive.  

A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered by Judge Elliott Levine.