Dassel Man Formally Charged With Murdering His Wife

LITCHFIELD (WJON News) -- A Dassel man has been charged with one count of 2nd-degree murder and two counts of endangering a child after his wife was shot to death last Thursday.

According to the charges filed in Meeker County District Court, 35-year-old Bryan Demarais shot 29-year-old Kayla Demarais in their Dassel home after an argument over financial problems and infidelity.

Court records indicate Demarais called 911 and said he had killed his wife and that there were two kids in the house.

Authorities arrived at the scene, arrested Demarais, escorted the two kids out of the house, and found Kayla Demarais dead with .22-caliber gunshot wounds to her head.

According to the charges, the couple was lying in bed on the morning of December 28th when the husband saw a text message come across his wife's phone from an alleged boyfriend. An argument ensued and Demarais told the kids that their mother was cheating and they were getting a divorce.

Demarais went to work but was told to go home by his supervisor.

The children told investigators that when their dad got home, he was yelling at their mom about cheating.

The children were in a bedroom playing video games when they heard a gunshot and saw their mom fall to the living room floor. They said the father yelled at them to close the door and heard the mom yell to call 911. He then yelled at the kids not to call 911 and that he would call 911.

The children told authorities that they couldn't see who was shooting and were scared someone was in their house.

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Police ultimately got the kids out through the bedroom window and Demarais was arrested. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 25th.