NICOLLET COUNTY — A 39-year-old former Sleepy Eye man accused of the death of a 35-year-old Sleepy Eye woman near Fort Ridgely State Park last October, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in Nicollet County District Court March 28.

Casey Dlynn Narvaez agreed to a 79 month sentence. Felony second-degree intentional murder and aiding suicide charges were dismissed. He was ordered to Nicollet County Jail custody. Sentencing was set for 10 a.m. May 6 in Nicollet County District Court.

Narvaez also faces a felony assault charge in Brown County District Court.

According to court documents, charges stem from an 12:54 a.m., Oct. 26 911 call from the Minnesota River boat ramp near Highway 4 to Nicollet County Dispatch from a man who said “It didn’t work” and he did “not know why he was alive.”

Nicollet and Renville County deputies, Fairfax Police and Ambulance and Minnesota State Troopers responded to the boat landing in Ridgely Township and saw a man, Narvaez, standing outside a GMC Acadia with cable (zip) ties around his neck. He did not follow officer commands.

Officers saw the body of a deceased woman in the Acadia, lying face down on the driver’s side with zip ties around her neck.

Dryer vent tubing outside the vehicle was attached to a vehicle exhaust pipe at one end and unattended at the other end. A second part of dryer vent tubing was found near the vehicle.

Narvaez was transported to Sleepy Eye Medical Center. He later told special agents he and the victim, Kayla Hulsey, 35, lived together in Sleepy Eye and agreed to die together by suicide.

A Ramsey County Medical Office report read that Husley’s death was caused by asphyxia due to strangulation.

Narvaez faces a felony third-degree felony assault-substantial bodily harm charge in Brown County District Court. A pre-trial hearing was set for 11 a.m. July 16. A two-day jury trial is set for Aug. 8-9.