Red Wing man arrested in Arizona for Hastings murder
Sep. 9—HASTINGS, Minn. — A Red Wing man was arrested in Phoenix for allegedly strangling his girlfriend at a hotel in Hastings, Minn., on May 18, 2021, Hastings Police Chief Bryan D. Schafer said in a statement.
Kyle Steven Williams, 32, has been charged in Dakota County with second-degree murder in the death of Kelly Kocurek, 36, of Hastings. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Aug. 19. He is in Arizona waiting to be extradited to Minnesota.
Hastings police officers responded to a call for medical attention about 1:20 p.m. on May 18 at the Coratel Inn and Suites. Williams led officers to the room in which he and Kocurek were staying. Williams claimed Kocurek had strangled herself, according to the criminal complaint.
Kocurek was taken to the Regions Hospital in St. Paul where she was in a coma for five days before dying on May 23, 2021.
A witness who worked at the hotel told police they heard a "boom, boom, boom, like people were wrestling or fighting" coming from Williams' and Kocurek's hotel room. The witness then said they heard a man's voice yell "Kelly! Kelly!" and 10 minutes later saw Williams in the hallway with blood on him.
An autopsy performed by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Kocrek's death a homicide as a result of asphyxia due to ligature strangulation. The medical examiner also noted several injuries related to the asphyxia that were inconsistent with self-inflicted injuries.
