Earlier this week, a jury found 35-year-old Kyle Steven Williams guilty of the murder of Kelly Marie Kocurek in 2021. Williams was found guilty on all four counts: first-degree murder while committing domestic abuse with past pattern of domestic abuse, premeditated first-degree murder, intentional second-degree murder and first-degree assault great bodily harm. On May 18, 2021, the Hastings Police Department responded to a medical call at a local hotel, where they found Kocurek unresponsive with domestic abuse related injuries. Williams told police the injuries were self-inflicted, but the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s findings determined that Kocurek’s death was a homicide. Williams was sentenced to life in prison without parole and the jury needed just over one day to deliberate. County Attorney Kathy Keena in a statement thanked the Hastings Police Department, Minnesota BCA, and her deputies who prosecuted the case. The Honorable Dannia Edwards presided over the case. If you or a loved one is a victim of domestic abuse, help is available. Contact Day One, a statewide network of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and crime programs in Minnesota. Call the crisis hotline 866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995.
