The father of a missing Minnesota woman's two children has been arrested on suspicion of murder, two months after human remains were found on the side of a highway in the hunt for Madeline Kingsbury, 26, who went missing two months back. Adam Fravel, 29, the father of the two children, was arrested on suspicion of murder, police records reveal.
Police claimed that they found human remains in Mabel, Minnesota "using information generated during the Madeline Kingsbury investigation." According to the charges listed on the Winona County Detention Center website, Fravel was arrested and charged on suspicion of second-degree murder. He is currently being held in the Winona County Jail.
Grisly Murder by Her Own Husband
Police on Wednesday found human remains near Mabel, Minnesota, "using information generated during the Madeline Kingsbury investigation," the Winona Police Department wrote on Facebook. "Because of this, law enforcement personnel have arrested Adam Fravel on probable cause in connection to her disappearance."
"The Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office are working as quickly as possible to positively identify the remains."
Kingsbury has been missing for almost two months and this is the first time any charges in the case have been filed.
The mom of two went missing on March 31 after dropping off her two children, a boy and a girl, both under the age of two, at daycare, according to the police.
That afternoon, Kingsbury was supposed to pick up her two kids from daycare, but she never did. Police noted in early April that Kingsbury's lack of response to multiple calls and messages from family and friends was "extremely out of character for her."
Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said that officers were "concerned for her safety" and that they believed Kingsbury's absence to be "involuntary" and "suspicious."
Phil Prokopowicz, a special prosecutor, came out of retirement last month to look into her disappearance, Kingsbury's sister told local media.
Her sister said at the time that Prokopowicz, who has been referred to as "arguably one of the best in the business," has been assisting Winona County law enforcement.
"We don't have a ton of details right now as far as what specifically he is looking into as the immediate concern is the custody trial," Megan Kingsbury told KTTC at the time.
Prokopowicz retired from the Dakota County police department in 2019. His hiring coincided with the acrimonious custody dispute between Kingsbury's family and Fravel.
Conspiracy of a Husband
Kingsbury was last seen alive on the morning of March 31 by Fravel, the father of the woman's children.
According to CBS Minnesota, Fravel has denied having any involvement in Kingsbury's disappearance. He told police that on the day of her disappearance, he left their home in a blue minivan after dropping the kids off at daycare, and when he returned, she was gone.
Two weeks after Kingsbury went missing, Fravel issued a lengthy statement of denying his involvement in the case, according to CBS Minnesota.
"During these last 12 days I have cooperated with law enforcement at every turn, including sitting down for multiple interviews with Winona County law enforcement. I did not have anything to do with Maddi's disappearance. I want the mother of my 5-year-old and 2-year-old to be found and brought home safely. I want that more than anything," Fravel said in the statement through his attorney.
He continued by saying that owing to "safety concerns," police enforcement had urged him not to attend press conferences or assist in searches.
"However, my non-attendance and silence has been inferred by many as a sign of apathy, or worse," he continued.
"That could not be further from the truth. I want Maddi home and for her to be able to be with our two children. God Bless the Kingsbury family and please bring her home safely."
The Kingsbury family said in a statement they posted at the time saying, "Nothing in life can prepare you for this."
"Nothing in life prepares you for this. The disappearance of our daughter and sister has been a waking nightmare with no respite," they said.
"In the days and nights since Madeline disappeared, the immediate family and extended family have, collectively and individually, been experiencing emotions and trials that someone who has never been suddenly thrust into this horrific situation could ever imagine."
Kingsbury's children are currently in the custody of her father. They will have a custody hearing in Winona County on June 6. It remains unclear what Fravel's arrest will mean for the ongoing case.
