The disappearance of Madeline Kingsbury on March 31, 2023, rocked her community of Winona, Minnesota. The 26-year-old mother of two left the house for a normal daycare drop-off, and then disappeared on that day. When she went missing, the community put together an astounding search effort with thousands of volunteers, and it was reported on by all major media outlets.
After weeks of no answers, people saw some concerning evidence emerge, which pointed not only to some kind of foul play but also to a deeply disturbing pattern of abuse and control.
Eventually, her remains were found, and Adam Fravel, her then ex-partner, was arrested and left to face a murder trial. That is when the whole horrific story began to unfold.
Season 37 episode 26 of 48 Hours, which aired on April 13, 2024, featured the case of Madeline Kingsbury’s disappearance.
5 chilling details about Madeline Kingsbury’s disappearance
1) Kingsbury confided in her friends that she felt unsafe around Fravel
According to FOX 9, as stated in the court documents, Madeline Kingsbury had told her close friends and family that her ex, Adam Fravel, had been abusive toward her. She even indicated to someone that she feared for her safety and warned them that if something happened to her, Fravel would likely be behind it.
This disturbing revelation provided important context after she vanished and was supported by the search warrants that were presented as part of the case.
2) Fravel allegedly used a shovel shortly after Kingsbury went missing
After Madeline Kingsbury went missing for 10 days, a neighbor who lived near Fravel’s parents told investigators that a trail camera had captured him driving the family’s utility terrain vehicle (with a shovel in the bed).
According to CBS News, cadaver dogs later picked up a scent on the shovel that was believed to be indicative of contact with human remains. According to Fravel’s family, the shovel had been used to move a dead raccoon, but again, this incident added to the suspicion in the ongoing investigation.
3) Her body was concealed and found near Fravel’s family property
On June 7, 2023, 68 days after she went missing, a Fillmore County deputy found human remains inside a culvert off a rural road near Mabel, Minnesota, about five miles from Fravel’s parents’ property.
According to CBS News Minnesota, authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Kingsbury. Police reinforced that the area had been searched previously, but the body was “covered and concealed,” making it hard to locate at first.
4) Fravel filed for custody of their children after Kingsbury’s disappearance
Shockingly, Fravel sought custody of the couple’s two children even after being named a suspect. On June 5, 2023, a judge denied Fravel’s petition, ruling the children would stay with their maternal grandparents, according to CBS News Minnesota. This was before his arrest and days before Kingsbury was found dead, which raised more red flags about Fravel’s intentions during the time of her disappearance.
5) He maintained innocence despite overwhelming evidence and was emotionless at sentencing
According to CBS News, in November, Fravel was found guilty on four counts. These included first-degree murder while engaging in domestic abuse and with a past pattern of domestic abuse; first-degree murder with premeditation; second-degree murder without premeditation; and second-degree murder while committing a felony.
“I never caused harm to Maddie, and I am innocent,” Fravel said at sentencing, according to MPR News.
The court heard heartbreaking victim impact statements from Madeline Kingsbury’s family. Yet, Fravel did not appear to express any outwardly human reactions, demonstrating the cool distance he had exhibited from the very beginning of the case.
Season 37 episode 26 of 48 Hours can be streamed on Paramount+.
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Edited by Meenakshi Ajith
