WINONA, Minn. — A judge has granted a change of venue the man accused of murder Madeline Kingsbury.
Koningsbury, 26, disappeared in March 2023 after dropping off her two children at daycare in Winona. In April 2023, police called her case suspicious and asked the community for help in search efforts.
On June 7, 2023, Kingsbury’s body was found in a field near Mabel, about an hour’s drive from Winona.
Adam Fravel, her ex-boyfriend and father of her children, was arrested two days later and charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection with her death.
Kingsbury family
When Kingsbury first disappeared, Fravel denied any involvement. However, he requested custody of the two children before being charged a judge denied his request and the children were placed in the care of Kingsbury’s parents.
A criminal complaint alleges Fravel had a history of domestic violence against Kingsbury, including hitting her while she was on a video call with a friend and choking her in front of their children.
If convicted, Fravel could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Why was the location change allowed?
Experts say a change of venue for a trial is rare. It is often requested, usually by lawyers, but rarely is it granted.
How was it approved in this case? Let’s start with what the judge said about her decision: “Given the extensive pretrial publicity and the substantial involvement of the Winona community in this case, a change of venue is warranted. It is clear to this Court that a fair trial cannot be guaranteed within this province.”
The news and search efforts are the evidence cited by the judge regarding publicity and community involvement.
The intense media attention included searches conducted by literally thousands of volunteers walking through a vast area, including fields and neighborhoods.
Winona County Sheriff’s Office
The Winona County investigation played an important role
Another major influence on the decision was an investigation conducted by Fravel’s defense team. They asked people in Winona County if they had heard about Kingsbury’s disappearance and if they had formed an opinion about Fravel.
The judge referred to the results of the investigation, which overwhelmingly showed that people were not only aware of the case, but had also formed opinions about Fravel.
Which provinces could now organize the trial against Fravel?
You could say that wherever you go in Minnesota, people will know about this case. But all you need is a jury of twelve people who know little or nothing about it.
WCCO spoke Thursday with attorney Joe Tamburino, who is not involved in the case, for insight.
“You would be surprised that the further you go from where the alleged crime occurred, the less people actually know about the case,” Tamburino said. ‘Naturally. Some people might follow it on the news or on Twitter or something like that. But if you go to Beltrami County, there could be a significant number of people who really don’t know about this case.”
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
Jeff Wagner
