Man Charged In Hastings Hotel Death: County Attorney

HASTINGS, MN — A Red Wing man is facing charges in connection with the May death of Kelly Jo Marie Kocurek, 36, of Hastings, according to a news release from the Dakota County Attorney's Office.

Kyle Steven Williams, 32, of Red Wing, is charged with one count of second-degree murder. He made his first appearance on the charge Wednesday and bail was set at $2,000,000 with conditions, the news release said. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Hastings police responded to a call for medical attention at a hotel on May 18, police said. When they got to the hotel, Williams ran outside screaming at them to hurry to the room where he and Kocurek were staying, according to officials.

In the room, officers found Kocurek lying on the floor, unresponsive and with several cords that were cut next to her, police said. She had blood on her face, which was bruised and swollen, and marks on her neck, according to officials.

Williams screamed at police that Kocurek had strangled herself, officials said.

Koceruk was transported to Regions Hospital, where she died after being in a coma for five days, according to officials.

Witnesses told officers that Kocurek and Williams were dating, police said.

Williams called Kocurek's mother and told her that Kocurek was unresponsive and needed help, officials said.

Officers also spoke to someone who works at the hotel who said he heard, "boom, boom, boom, like people were wrestling or fighting," according to police. He heard a man yell, "Kelly! Kelly!" 10 minutes later, officials said.

Shortly afterwards, the witness saw Williams in the hallway with blood on him, and a second witness told officers Williams had blood on him when he called 911 at the front desk of the hotel, according to officials.

Police say that Williams gave different versions of what happened, but repeatedly told officers that Kocurek strangled herself with a cord.

Another witness who knew Kocurek told police that she had a previous injury that limited the use of her hand and that she needed help with tasks like putting on clothes or brushing her teeth, according to police.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office did an autopsy and determined Kocurek's death to be a homicide, the cause of death being asphyxia due to ligature strangulation, officials said. The medical examiner also found asphyxia-related injuries that were inconsistent with self-injury, according to officials. Kocurek also had traumatic head injuries that the ME attributed to physical assault, officials said.

"Our deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Ms. Kocurek for their great loss," Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena said.