Adam Fravel found guilty in Madeline Kingsbury’s death – Post Bulletin

MANKATO, Minn. — A jury found Adam Fravel guilty of four counts related to the death of Madeline Kingsbury after deliberating nearly 10 hours over two days.

He has been charged with first-degree murder while committing domestic abuse, along with two counts of second-degree murder and domestic abuse in the past.

A jury of five women and seven men found him guilty of all four murder charges on Thursday morning, November 7.

The trial, which began Oct. 7, lasted 22 days, with eight days of jury selection, 12 days of testimony, just over a day of closing arguments and two days of deliberation. The jury began deliberating on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 6, and concluded on Thursday.

The jury reached its verdict around 10:40 a.m., with many of Kingsbury’s family and friends wearing blue.

To honor Kingsbury

He was sent to the courthouse. Fravel’s family also lined up, sitting behind the defendant. Seating was shoulder to shoulder in the main courtroom, and the overflow room was nearly full.

The trial was held in Mankato due to the court’s location change.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17 at 1:45 p.m. in Winona County District Court.

The state, represented by Phillip Prokopowicz and Christina Galewski

He called 68 witnesses to the stand

. The state’s case included testimony over 11 days from law enforcement and Kingsbury’s family and friends.

The defense, represented by Zachary Bauer and Grace Dokken, called five witnesses, including two law enforcement officers, Fravel’s brother and neighbors.

The potential sentence for a defendant convicted of first-degree murder would be life imprisonment, while a conviction of second-degree murder would lead to a 40-year prison sentence.

During closing arguments on Wednesday

The prosecution argued that Fravel was the only person who had the reason, means and opportunity to go to Kingsbury. The defense argued that law enforcement focused on Fravel as the suspect and that Kingsbury’s friends and family were retelling stories of domestic violence through “revisionist history.”

Fravel, 30, was arrested on June 9, 2023, in connection with the death of Kingsbury, the mother of his two children, after her body was found near Mabel following a months-long search. He was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Following his arrest, a grand jury was convened and a first-degree murder charge was recommended against Fravel, with a history of domestic abuse and premeditated first-degree murder charges.

On Wednesday evening, jurors asked the court two questions about Fravel’s accusations. Under Minnesota law, the definition of second-degree intentional homicide includes causing the death of a person “without premeditation.” The jury asked whether Fravel could have been convicted if the jury had already found premeditation.

The second question asked was whether Fravel could be convicted on all four charges. The court told them to consider each crime “separately and in any order.”

The jury concluded its deliberations around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, and the verdict was announced Thursday morning.