Grand jury returns first-degree murder charges for Madeline Kingsbury's ex-boyfriend

The man accused of killing Madeline Kingsbury now faces first-degree murder charges in her death.

A Winona County grand jury on Monday returned an indictment against Adam Fravel with two counts of first-degree murder, arguing the killing was premeditated and that it took place with a past pattern of domestic abuse. Fravel also faces two counts of second-degree murder.

Fravel was arrested in June shortly after Kingsbury's body was discovered. He has been in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center since his arrest.

Fravel denied any involvement in Kingsbury's disappearance shortly after she went missing.

Kingsbury's disappearance on March 31 drew national attention as thousands of people joined the nearly 10-week search. Her body was found in Mabel, Minn., a few miles from property owned by Fravel's parents.

The last time anyone saw Kingsbury alive was when she and Fravel dropped off their children, ages 5 and 2, at day care the morning of March 31. Fravel later told police Kingsbury was supposed to pick up their children that afternoon but she didn't show up, so he did it. But the day care provider told police she never contacted Fravel asking him to pick up the kids, according to court records. He showed up at the day care's regular pickup time.

Search warrants unsealed in July indicate friends and family knew for some time that Kingsbury and Fravel were in an abusive relationship, one Kingsbury was trying to get out of.

Warrants show several friends and family told police Fravel reportedly told her, "If you don't listen, you'll end up like Gabby Petito," the social media influencer who was slain by her boyfriend while traveling in 2021. Fravel later told police he meant it as a joke.

Court records also show police believe Fravel killed Kingsbury after she told him she was seeing another man and planned to move out of the home she and Fravel shared in Winona.

Fravel's next court appearance is set for Tuesday.