Faribault's 'DarkRyd3r' charged with tying up, killing suicidal Ohio woman in woods

A Faribault man has been charged with tying up and strangling an Ohio woman who came to Minnesota to meet her eventual killer and talk to him about suicide.

Jason R. Nisbit, 39, was charged Monday in Rice County District Court with second-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Chelsea E. Martinez, of Columbus.

He is jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

The criminal complaint says Nisbit and Martinez met at a Faribault motel on July 31. They drove separately to Shager Park the next day and walked to a wooded area, where he bound her feet and hands, strangled her until she passed out and cut her throat with a 10-inch knife, the court document continued.

The victim's vehicle was found in the park on Aug. 3. Nisbit was located and led authorities to the body of the mother of three children.

The Columbus Dispatch has reported that Oscar Martinez said his wife's sister reported Chelsea missing on Aug. 1, after seeing a Facebook post that led relatives to suspect she was contemplating suicide.

According to the complaint:

Having choked Martinez with a cord, Nisbit then cut her throat. Nisbit dragged her body to a culvert.

A deputy on routine patrol saw Martinez's unoccupied vehicle two days later about 11:45 p.m. in the park's parking lot. The keys were in the ignition. Authorities traced the vehicle to the missing person's report filed in Ohio.

Investigators determined that Nisbit, using the online name "DarkRyd3r," was in contact with Martinez on the Internet. Questioned on Aug. 7, Nisbit acknowledged killing Martinez and led them to the body.

The complaint did not reveal a motive for the killing, and County Attorney John Fossum declined Tuesday to address what may have compelled Nisbit's actions.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482