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The man charged with killing Madeline Kingsbury — the 26-year-old Winona woman who disappeared in 2023 — appeared in court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing.

Adam Fravel, Kingsbury’s ex-partner, faces multiple felony charges in the case; the most serious are two charges of first-degree murder, both of which carry sentences of life in prison.

Charging documents filed in June 2023 say the two were in the process of separating and that she had recently met someone else. The documents include allegations that Fravel had previously abused Kingsbury.

Fravel, 30, sat quietly in an orange uniform during the hearing. Both Fravel and Kingsbury’s families were in the courtroom. While no trial date has been selected, the first phase of the pre-trial hearings sealed some records from the public and once again brought concerns of a tainted potential jury pool to the forefront of the case.

That concern has spurred defense attorneys to ask Judge Nancy L. Buytendorp to move the trial out of Winona County, although that motion will not be addressed until a hearing next month.

Kingsbury was reported missing on March 31, 2023, prompting nearly 2,000 people to participate in a two-day search across southeastern Minnesota a week later. Fravel was arrested on June 7 — more than two months after Kingsbury’s disappearance — when human remains wrapped in a bed sheet were found off of Highway 43, just north of the Iowa border. The following day, police publicly confirmed the remains were those of Madeline Kingsbury. 

Motions from both the prosecution and the defense concern the feasibility of a fair and impartial trial, in light of the high-profile nature of the case. Both sides have asked for certain records to be barred from the public, including testimonies and exhibits shared with the Winona County grand jury that indicted Fravel last year.

Prosecutors argued public access could lead the court to “lose control” of the case as that information reaches potential jurors. Both sides agreed it would be better to keep those records private. The judge temporarily sealed those records until a more permanent decision is reached.

The defense has asked the judge to drop the charge of first-degree premeditated murder, citing a lack of evidence. Buytendorp says she won’t rule on that motion until at least late May. 

The defense also wants the state to drop its intent to seek an aggravated sentence — which would elevate Fravel’s punishment if convicted of second-degree murder, on the grounds of particular cruelty. Buytendorp will also rule on that motion later.

On Wednesday, the defense asked the court to prohibit the public from viewing police body camera footage on April 1 and April 2 when police interviewed Fravel.

Zachary Bauer, Fravel’s attorney, said he was “highly concerned” about those records going public “given media attention,” fearing portions of the audio and video could be edited without context of entire conversations. Prosecutors agreed. The judge has yet to rule on that motion.

An additional defense motion seeking to drop Fravel’s initial statements to police was brought up Tuesday without conclusion.

David Kingsbury, Madeline Kingsbury’s father, called this week’s hearings “baby steps,” then later added “we’re getting somewhere.”

The end of this month marks one year since Kingsbury was first reported missing.

Added David Kingsbury, “It’s horrible and it’s a nightmare.”

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