Star Tribune
Southern Minnesota man agrees to 6½-year term for strangling his girlfriend as part of suicide pact
A southern Minnesota man has agreed to a sentence of about 6½ years for the strangulation of his girlfriend as part of a suicide pact.
Casey D. Narvaez, 39, of Sleepy Eye, agreed in Nicollet County District Court last week to plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of 35-year-old Kayla Hulsey on Oct. 26 in Ridgely Township. The agreement also calls for second-degree intentional murder and aiding suicide charges to be dismissed.
The formal sentencing of Narvaez is scheduled for May 6. With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Narvaez can expect to serve slightly more than four years of his term in prison and the balance on supervised release.
An autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office found that Hulsey died from asphyxia from being strangled with a ligature made of cable ties.
Narvaez called 911 shortly before 1 a.m. from a boat landing and referenced something not working, and he wondered why he was still alive.
Police soon arrived to find Narvaez standing outside an SUV with cable ties around his neck and Hulsey’s body in the vehicle. She also had cable ties around her neck. Police also saw dryer vent tubing attached to the SUV’s exhaust pipe.
Narvaez met investigators at the hospital a few hours later and said he and his live-in girlfriend both agreed to die by suicide.
The investigators saw the cable ties “were very tight” around Hulsey’s neck and confronted Narvaez. He explained that Hulsey wanted his help to make the ligature tighter. He did so, despite knowing that his actions “would cause [Hulsey’s] death, and he wanted to help [her] die,” the charges read.
Narvaez added that he waited 30 minutes after Hulsey fell unresponsive before calling 911.
Where to find help
Families can find mental health information and resources for crisis care on NAMI Minnesota’s website, namimn.org. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor.
Star Tribune
Investigators searching for additional victims as Hastings man faces child porn charges
A 27-year-old Hastings man has been accused in federal court of producing child pornography over a roughly two-year span, and investigators are trying to identify additional potential victims.
Hunter James Geidlwas charged with four counts of either production or possession of child pornography in federal court Dec. 10. He has pleaded not guilty.
According to the charges, Geidl employed and used minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for producing explicit videos from July 2022 to March 2024. He is also accused of possessing a video file of pornographic material involving a minor in 2022.
Geidl made his initial appearance in court Friday and remains in custody, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger.
Investigators believe other minors may have been victimized and ask that if anyone believes their child has been in contact with Geidl to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
“She was really into the Replacements. So for her to have her dad suddenly playing in the band, it would be like my dad joining the Rolling Stones.”
Slim Dunlap, right, with Paul Westerberg during a 1987 Replacements concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. (Brian Peterson, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Dunlap played guitar on the final two Replacements studio albums, also including 1991’s “All Shook Down.” Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson later credited him for sparking a new spirit in the band and extending their run during their waning years.
After the break-up in 1991, Dunlap toured with Dan Baird of the Georgia Satellites, who led the first fundraising campaign on Dunlap’s behalf in the days after his stroke.
Finally, in 1993, Dunlap got his own chance to shine as a singer/songwriter.
He channeled his love for Hank Williams, Chuck Berry and vintage blues alongside the Replacements’ Stones and Faces influences on his debut album, “The Old New Me,” issued by former ‘Mats manager and Twin/Tone Records co-founder Peter Jesperson on the Medium Cool record label. A second solo album came three years later, “Times Like This,” similarly earning a cult-loved status — especially among fellow musicians.
Springsteen publicly raved about those records numerous times, including in a 2014 interview with NPR’s Ann Powers: “I hope I get a chance to cut one of his songs,” said the Boss. “Check out the two Slim Dunlap records, because they’re just beautiful rock ‘n’ roll records. I found them to be deeply touching and emotional.”
A 59-year-old utility worker died Tuesday after falling from the bucket of a boom truck at a job site north of Big Lake, according to Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Ben Zawacki.
Thomas L. Stewart of Dayton fell about six to eight feet and suffered significant head injuries while working in the ditch on the north side of 241st Avenue NW, just west of 185th Street in Orrock Township.
First responders performed life-saving efforts at the scene before Stewart was transported to St. Cloud Hospital, where he was pronounced dead late Tuesday.
Stewart worked for the Minnesota-based utility company Connexus Energy. In a response to a Facebook post about the incident, a representative from Connexus thanked people for their thoughts and prayers, and clarified the utility worker was not electrocuted in the incident.
“We’re heartbroken over the passing of our friend and colleague but we are waiting for family and friends to be notified so we cannot share additional information,” Stacy Downs, communications specialist at Connexus, said Wednesday.
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