By Zech Sindt
Adam Taylor Fravel, 30, the man who brutally took the life of Madeline Kingsbury, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in a Winona County courtroom on December 17. Judge Nancy Buytendorp handed down the sentence, a small sense of solace for the community, and a small justice for Kingsbury’s family.
The courtroom was not just about punishment, but about remembering Madeline Kingsbury for who she really was. It was about giving voice to the profound grief and loss that Fravel had inflicted on those who loved her. One by one, Madeline’s family members came forward to deliver their victim impact statements, their words painting a picture of the sister and daughter they had lost, and the devastating consequences of Fravel’s actions.
Kingsbury’s mother, Krista Hultgren, spoke of the “worst nightmare” that Fravel had created, the unbearable pain of losing her daughter, and the agonizing reality that Madeline’s children would grow up without their mother. “The defendant could have stopped, but he didn’t. He could have treated her like the extraordinary person she was, but he didn’t. He could have given Madeline and the kids a good life, but he didn’t. He made her feel unlovable, and then he snuffed the life out of her. He ripped her from her children, her family and her friends,” she said.
Hultgren questioned Fravel’s choices, pointing out the many opportunities he had to change his path. “The defendant didn’t own the right to keep her isolated and away, and he certainly didn’t own the right to end her life. He’s ruined so many lives. He took my child from me. I don’t understand why he thought killing her was the only option. There were so many opportunities to do something different.”
Madeline’s stepsister, Holly Waterston, then took the stand, her tears a testament to the depth of her pain and sorrow. She spoke of the shattered lives and the “infinite and complex” losses they had suffered. “It is impossible to describe all the pieces, infinite and complex, that make up our losses. We all now live on a shattered timeline of life. Our lives will forever be defined by before Maddi went missing, and after.”
Speaking about her sister Heather, who lost her life and whose funeral was on June 7, 2012, Waterston pointed out that Kingsbury’s body was found exactly 11 years later to the day, on June 7, 2023. She said, “Their deaths have left equal sized holes in my heart. However, there’s a profound difference in the layers of suffering, anguish and trauma between when a sister dies of a disease, and when a sister goes missing for over two months, is found violently murdered, and then having to uphold dignity during an arduous journey to justice.”
Waterston mourned the loss of their shared conversations about motherhood, and the joy that Madeline brought into their lives. “I miss my conversations with Maddi about the joys and struggles of raising our little humans. Maddi brought an enormous amount of light and laughter to our lives.”
Waterston also highlighted the cruel irony of Fravel’s perceived innocence, contrasting it with the stolen innocence of Madeline’s children. “Throughout the course of the trial, we heard a lot about Adam’s cloak of innocence. On this day of sentencing, I ask the court to reflect on what Adam’s actions have done to the children of this family. The children in our family don’t get to walk through their young lives shrouded in a cloak of childhood innocence anymore. It was ripped from each of their tiny shoulders, stomped on, shredded, destroyed.”
Kingsbury’s father, David Kingsbury, shared his own heart-wrenching account of the search for his daughter, the discovery of her body, and the custody battle for the children. “Sixty-nine days spent searching desperately for her. Nights staring out into the darkness wondering where she was. Wondering if she’s alive or dead, or wondering if we’d ever find her. Then informing our family that our beloved daughter and sister was found dead. Learning that her body had been found wrapped in a sheet and stuffed in a culvert, covered with brush, at the end of a dead end road, finally located because a sheriff’s deputy was alerted by an unusually large gathering of flies. Telling my grandchildren that they’ll never see their mommy again because their father hurt her so badly that she died.”
David spoke of the chilling moment when Fravel, noticing the camera was live during a court hearing, “locked eyes with my wife and I, and smirked at us.” He said it was “at that moment, his (Fravel’s) true nature was revealed. Resolute cruelty and pure evil. For me, it was certain proof that he killed Madeline.”
David condemned Fravel’s lack of remorse and his self-pitying tears in the courtroom, saying, “His (Fravel’s) only regret was that he’s being held accountable. The crocodile tears he shed that day in the courtroom, the day the verdicts came in, were for himself. There’s no remorse for what he’s done to Madeline, to Elly, and Noah, and other people that loved them.”
Finally, David ended his statement with a simple but powerful declaration of love for his daughter; “She truly was the world’s greatest kid, and always will be the apple of my eye. Her name is Madeline.”
Two other victim impact statements, one from Catherine Kingsbury, and one from Steven Kingsbury, were also read into the record before the sentencing.
Even after all of those powerful statements, and with one of Minnesota’s harshest sentences hanging over his head, Fravel still refused to accept responsibility. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, “I never caused harm to Maddi, and I am innocent. Thank you.”
For Madeline’s family, the sentence was a step toward justice, though it will never undo the pain or fill the void left by her loss. Even in their grief, they spoke of her light, refusing to let her memory be overshadowed by the darkness of Adam Fravel’s actions. On their Facebook page, Finding Madeline Kingsbury, the family said they’re working on establishing a foundation, Madeline Kingsbury Foundation – Where Joy Trickles In, for people who are in similar situations to what Madeline was in. “Through this foundation we hope to provide awareness and education, along with resources and reprieve for those struggling to escape domestic violence or starting over after leaving. We hope to be a pillar where JOY may begin to trickle back into their lives.”
They also noted that they’ve already helped some families fleeing abusive relationships. “Because of your generosity we have already been able to adopt multiple families fleeing domestic violence and provide them with staple items and gifts so they will be able to have Christmas this year. A website with more information is in the works so please keep an eye out for that.”
To support this foundation, readers can currently donate through Venmo to @BenefitFundMaddiKingsbury. Donations are tax deductible.
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