Jury selection for man accused of killing Madeline Kingsbury begins Monday
The jury selection for a man accused of killing the mother of his children begins Monday.
30-year-old Adam Fravel faces two counts of both first- and second-degree murder in the death of Madeline Kingsbury.
He was indicted on the first-degree murder charges in October of 2023.
Fravel faces a life sentence if convicted of first-degree murder. The trial is expected to last at least three weeks and is taking place in Mankato instead of Winona to ensure a fair trial, with the defense citing “substantial involvement of the Winona community” in the search for Kingsbury.
When arguing for a change of venue, the defense also cited a survey of 100 Winona County adults that showed 89% of respondents had “seen, heard, or read a news story” about the Kingsbury case; 74% of those who consumed a news story about the case had formed an opinion; and 99% of those who had formed an opinion believed Fravel was responsible for Kingsbury’s death.
Court officials tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that a change of venue for a jury trial is “rare.”
Officials say Kingsbury dropped her kids off at daycare on March 31, 2023, and was shortly after never heard from or seen again. She was missing for over two months until her remains were found near Highway 43 in Fillmore County near Fravel’s parents’ home — Fravel was arrested the same day.
In the days after the arrest, details of previous alleged domestic abuse by Fravel came to light. A friend of Kingsbury also told investigators that leading up to her disappearance, Kingsbury reportedly said, “If anything happens to me, know that Adam did it. I would never leave my kids.”
You can find KSTP’s full coverage of Madeline Kingsbury’s disappearance and murder here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, several resources are available to offer help. For immediate help, contact:
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
- Minnesota Day One at 866-223-1111.
- The Women’s Advocates crisis line at 651-227-8284.
More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.
Other organizations that can help include:
- Violence Free Minnesota at 651-646-6177 or 800-289-6177.
- Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project at 612-343-9842.
- Mending the Sacred Hoop at 888-305-1650.
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 612-209-9993.
Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.