Minnesota Man to Be Sentenced for Murdering Girlfriend Who Disappeared After Dropping Kids Off at Daycare
WINONA, Minn.—A man from Minnesota, found guilty of first-degree murder, is scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday for the killing of his girlfriend, whose disappearance in 2023 captured nationwide attention and inspired thousands of volunteers to participate in the search following her drop-off of their children at daycare.
In November, a jury convicted Adam Fravel, 30, from Mabel. He was arrested in June 2023, shortly after deputies discovered the body of Madeline Kingsbury in a forested area located just a few miles from land owned by Fravel’s parents.
The 26-year-old Kingsbury went missing in March 2023 after leaving her and Fravel’s two young children at their daycare in Winona, a city in southeastern Minnesota with a population of approximately 26,000.
Due to significant media coverage before the trial, the case was moved to Mankato, roughly 136 miles west of Winona. District Judge Nancy Buytendorp will oversee Fravel’s sentencing back in Winona. The charge of premeditated first-degree murder, being the most severe among the four counts of which he was found guilty, mandates a life sentence without parole.
Kingsbury’s remains were discovered in a culvert along a gravel road, wrapped in a gray fitted sheet secured with black Gorilla tape. Prosecutor Phil Prokopowicz indicated that she had been strangled with a towel, and a medical examiner determined that asphyxiation was likely the cause of death. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the towel, bedsheet, and tape were similar to items found in their Winona residence, Prokopowicz noted.
After a three-week trial at the Blue Earth County Justice Center in Mankato, Minn., the jury found Adam Fravel guilty on all counts for the murder of Madeline Kingsbury on Nov. 7, 2024.Hannah Yang/Minnesota Public Radio via AP
According to Prokopowicz and several witnesses, Kingsbury intended to leave Fravel for another man, citing her growing frustrations with his alleged abusive behavior and insufficient support for their family. The prosecutor argued that Fravel’s response to her plans was to take her life.
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“The relationship was never about them,” Prokopowicz asserted during his closing remarks. “It was always about him.”
Witnesses reported observing bruises on Kingsbury’s neck, with one friend recalling a video call in which Fravel allegedly struck her. Another friend testified that Kingsbury had warned her Fravel threatened that she could end up like Gabby Petito, a woman who was tragically murdered by her boyfriend in a widely publicized case in 2021.
Fravel opted against taking the stand in his defense. His attorney, Zach Bauer, contended in his closing argument that the prosecution’s case relied on “tunnel vision, revisionist history, and secret truths.” He claimed there was no evidence of any physical struggle within the couple’s home and referenced testimony from a neighbor who stated they had never overheard any arguments between the couple.
