A Minnesota man has been found guilty in the killing of his former girlfriend, whose body was found in a rural area of the state near a property owned by his parents.
Adam Fravel, 30, was convicted of first-degree murder and other charges in connection to the killing of 26-year-old Madeline Kingsbury, who disappeared in March 2023 after dropping off the couple’s two young kids at a daycare center.
Jurors delivered their verdict on Thursday, less than a day after deliberations began.
Fravel was arrested in June 2023 after deputies found Kingsbury’s body in a wooded area near Mabel, Minn. He had previously denied any involvement in her disappearance.
Kingsbury’s disappearance, which made national headlines and gripped the small rural Minnesota community, occurred as the young mother was attempting to end her relationship with Fravel.
Phil Prokopowicz, a special prosecutor handling the case, said the victim had taken steps to terminate her lease and had even found a new home where she would move in with the two children.
During the high-profile trial, which began with jury selection a month ago, a friend of the victim testified that Kingsbury said Fravel warned her that if she didn’t do as she was told, she could end up like Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old American vlogger who was killed by her fiancé in 2021.
Another witness said she was on a FaceTime call with the victim when Fravel allegedly hit her.
David Kingsbury, the victim’s father, expressed relief at the verdict while noting that nothing would bring his daughter back.
“Fravel can’t be punished enough,” he said, according to NBC News.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 17, when Fravel could be sentenced to life in prison.
With News Wire Services
