‘Pure evil’: Madeline Kingsbury’s family, friends decry abuse that led to her murder

A southeastern Minnesota man will spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of parole after killing his former partner. A judge in Winona imposed that sentence on 30-year-old Adam Fravel for murdering Madeline Kingsbury.

At a hearing Tuesday, Kingsbury’s relatives struggled to hold back tears as they told the court about their profound loss.

Madeline Kingsbury was last seen on March 31, 2023, after she dropped the two children she shared with Adam Fravel — then ages 2 and 5 — at day care. Kingsbury never showed up for work at Mayo Clinic in Rochester that day, and her family reported her missing.

After an extensive search that involved thousands of community members, a sheriff’s deputy found the remains of the 26-year-old about 10 weeks later in a culvert along a rural road near Fravel’s parents’ property. Investigators say she was likely smothered to death. Following a three-week trial, a jury in November found Fravel guilty of premeditated first-degree murder. 

Because that charge carries an automatic prison term of life without parole in Minnesota, there were no legal nuances about sentencing for the attorneys to argue. This hearing was meant for the family to describe for the court how Fravel’s crime and the loss of Kingsbury affected them.

Kingsbury’s mother Krista Hultgren said that Fravel could have treated Kingsbury like the extraordinary person she was and given her and their children a good life.

“Instead, he treated her like she was nothing and made her very existence miserable. He made her feel unlovable, and then he snuffed the life out of her,” Hultgren said.

Fravel sat beside his attorneys handcuffed and expressionless as other family members described the loving sister, daughter and mother that they lost 19 months ago in the worst way imaginable. 

Holly Waterston — Kingsbury’s stepsister — spoke at length about how the murder has devastated not only Kingsbury’s son and daughter, but also their five cousins, who are between the ages of four and 10. 

“My middle daughter, my youngest twin, had an immensely difficult time during the trial,” Waterson said. “She was often in tears, asking me things like ‘why did Adam do this? Why did he kill Maddy? Why didn’t he tell people he did this, so people wouldn’t have to search for her?’”

Kingsbury’s father David Kingsbury said that there are few things worse for a parent than losing a child, except when that child is the victim of a planned murder. 

“For my final goodbye to my beautiful daughter, I held her, talked to her, sung to her, and promised we’d get her justice. She was in a body bag,” he said.

David Kingsbury recalled that his child custody battle with Fravel continued even after Fravel was charged. During a video hearing in that case, David Kingsbury said Fravel looked over at him and smirked. 

“At that moment his true nature revealed. Resolute cruelty and pure evil,” he said.

David Kingsbury said Fravel killed Madeline Kingsbury after realizing he could no longer control and abuse her. 

Megan Hancock told the court that there was no normalcy for the family during the 69 days between her sister’s disappearance and the discovery of her remains. 

“The world continues around you. People go to work, they run their errands, they go on vacation and they spend time with their kids, but you’re there frozen in time,” Hancock said. “Our days were spent in fields and marshes by rivers and creeks in bluffs and in forests looking for any sign of Madeline.” 

Judge Nancy Buytendorp asked Fravel if he wanted to make a statement. He said little and continued to refute the evidence and the jury’s verdict.

“I never caused harm to Maddie and I am innocent. Thank you,” Fravel said.

Before sentencing Fravel to a mandatory term of life without parole, Buytendorp noted the profound effect of his abuse — a pattern of behavior that led him ultimately to kill his former partner. 

“In this case, the greatest impact is on the two young children who have lost both their mother and their father. They now face the unimaginable task of rebuilding their lives,” the judge said.

After the hearing, Lauren Dubois, a friend of Kingsbury, said that thanks to the generosity of the community, the children have everything they need. With the trial behind them, she says the family is focusing its efforts on the Madeline Kingsbury Foundation, which they set up to support other families affected by domestic violence.

If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation with a partner, there is a 24-hour statewide domestic and sexual violence hotline. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995.

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