Casey Dlynn Narvaez

NICOLLET COUNTY — A 29-year-old Sleepy Eye man was charged with felony 2nd-degree murder-with intent-not premeditated and felony suicide-aiding in Nicollet County District Court Friday.

Court documents confirmed Friday that Kayla Hulsey, 35, of Sleepy Eye died of asphyxia due to strangulation early Thursday morning at a Minnesota River boat ramp near State Highway 4 south of Fairfax.

Casey Dlynn Narvaez of Sleepy Eye was charged with felony 2nd-degree murder-with intent-not premeditated.

According to court documents, charges stem from a 911 call to the Nicollet County Dispatch Center at 12:54 a.m. Oct. 26 from a man making statements in a crying, hard to understand voice to the effect that “it did not 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 a boat landing in Ridgely Township, Nicollet County.

At the scene, Fairfax Police saw a man, later identified as Casey Dlynn Narvaez standing outside a GMC Acadia, later identified as belonging to the victim and a witness. Officers said Narvaez had cable (zip) ties around his neck and he was not following officer commands.

Officers saw the body of a deceased female inside the Acadia, lying face down on the driver’s side of the vehicle, with cable ties around her neck. The scene was secured and a search warrant was obtained to search the Acadia.

Officers saw dryer vent tubing outside the vehicle that was attached to the vehicle exhaust pipe and unattached at the other end. A second part of dryer vent tubing was found near the vehicle.

Narvaez was transported to Sleepy Eye Hospital. At about 4 a.m., special agent Michael Anderson and agent Alex Nelson interviewed Narvaez pursuant to Miranda. Narvaez said he and the victim were in a relationship for several months and lived together in Sleepy Eye.

Earlier in the day prior, Narvaez said he used marijuana, closed his eyes and the next thing he remembered was waking up at the boat landing, could not breath and had something around his neck.

Narvaez said he used the victim’s phone to call 911 and that the victim was in the vehicle and not moving. He asked investigators how Hulsey was and was told she did not survive.

When Narvaez’ statement was challenged and that his scenario was unlikely, he said he and the victim made a suicide agreement. Narvaez alleged after Hulsey got off work, they went to a hardware store and bought dryer vent tubing and cable ties.

Narvaez said he and Hulsey made a suicide pact using carbon monoxide poisoning, but when they did not pass out from carbon monoxide, he put together cable ties for them and put them around his and the victim’s necks. He said the victim was unresponsive within three minutes and that he wanted to help her die.

The victim’s body was transported to the Ramsey County Medical Office for an autopsy. A preliminary autopsy report stated the victim’s death was caused by asphyxia due to strangulation.

Investigation showed video surveillance of Narvaez in a hardware store buying dryer vent hose and zip ties, and in a vehicle similar to the Acadia. He estimated the victim was unresponsive for about 30 minutes before he called 911.

Narvaez’ bail was set at $800,000 without conditions, $400,000 with conditions Friday for Narvaez. A Zoom hearing was set for 11:30 a.m., Monday, Nov. 6.

Bail conditions include no contact with the husband and children of Kayla Hulsey, GPS monitoring and no drug or alcohol use.

Nicollet County Attorney Michelle Zehnder Fischer asked for $1 million bail without conditions, $500,000 with conditions.

“The State feels he’s a danger to the public, a flight risk with California ties, faces a 3rd-degree assault charge in Brown County, set for a jury trial,” Zehnder Fischer said.

A Nicollet County District Court Zoom hearing was set for 11:30 a.m. Nov. 6.