Madeline Kingsbury, 26, shared a special connection with Winona that Mayor Sherman noticed. When he learned that she had gone missing, he felt compelled to help. “I saw Maddi as a part of Winona,” Mayor Sherman expressed. “She was a dedicated young woman juggling school, work in Rochester, and raising children simultaneously, which is no small feat. I had great respect for Maddi.” Being an avid cyclist who frequented the woodsy paths around Winona, Sherman believed he could assist in the search efforts. As Mayor, his initial priority was supporting Maddi’s worried mother, Krista Naber, upon her arrival at the command center. “She embraced me with a hug that will stay with me forever,” Sherman recounted. “It was a hug that conveyed fear and concern.” When asked about the message behind the hug, Sherman affirmed, “I’m here for you. We will do everything possible to find her.”
The search for Maddi Kingsbury began on the afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, after her family grew anxious due to her prolonged absence. Naber’s intuition raised concerns, prompting her to reach out to Megan, Maddi’s older sister, who initially remained relatively calm. Despite sending Maddi messages expressing worry, no response was received. Living with Adam Fravel, the father of her children, Maddi and Adam’s relationship began during their time at Winona State University. After discovering their pregnancy in college, they settled in Winona. Adam supported the family by working after leaving school. Maddi pursued a career at the Mayo Clinic, excelling as a clinical research coordinator and also pursuing further education.
Fravel, who studied computer science, pursued flying lessons with the aspiration of obtaining a pilot’s license. Megan, away from Winona on the evening of March 31, contacted Fravel, learning that Maddi had disappeared from their home.
About an hour south of Winona, Megan Kingsbury reached out to Maddi’s friend Katie Kolka, expressing concern over not being able to contact Maddi all day. In response, Katie immediately headed over to Maddi’s house. Upon arriving, the house was eerily quiet, prompting Kolka to call the Winona police. However, authorities informed her that a missing persons report couldn’t be filed yet as it hadn’t been 24 hours. Meanwhile, Megan and Maddi’s father grew increasingly worried, trying to reach her with no success. The following morning, as Maddi had been missing for nearly 24 hours, the Kingsbury family filed a missing persons report and sought help on Facebook. The community quickly mobilized to assist in the search, with detectives gathering information from Maddi’s partner, Adam Fravel. Fravel recounted dropping off their children at daycare on the morning of March 31 before Maddi disappeared. The last known footage of Maddi showed her at the daycare center before she vanished. Fravel mentioned borrowing Maddi’s minivan to transport boxes to his parents’ house, only realizing later that he had left items intended for storage in the van. After returning home briefly, he went back to retrieve the boxes but found Maddi missing. Despite attempts to contact her, there was no response, leading to increased concern for Maddi’s well-being.
On the day Maddi disappeared, Fravel informed the police that he had assumed Maddi had carpooled to work. When he didn’t hear from her, he proceeded to pick up the kids alone. Surveillance footage from the daycare supported this part of Fravel’s account. Later that day, he picked up the children from daycare around 4:20 or 4:30 and took them to his parents’ house in Mabel, Minnesota.
During a police interview, investigators observed fresh scratches on Fravel’s face. Fravel claimed the scratches were from a friend’s dog. Subsequently, on April 1, police searched the Winona residence where Fravel and Maddi lived. Despite finding Maddi’s personal items, such as her purse, jacket, and credit cards, there was no sign of Maddi.
Two days later, Megan Kingsbury, Maddi’s sister, urgently reached out to her TikTok followers for help in finding Maddi. Her emotional plea garnered significant attention, with the post amassing over half a million views. As the days passed without any trace of Maddi, Megan continued to provide updates on TikTok.
Meanwhile, investigators intensified their focus on Fravel after receiving troubling accounts from Maddi’s friends. These accounts revealed disturbing incidents involving threats made by Fravel towards Maddi, evoking comparisons to the high-profile Gabby Petito case. Maddi’s loved ones expressed concern over her tumultuous relationship with Fravel, with Megan recalling how Fravel’s behavior had raised red flags well before Maddi’s disappearance.
Honestly, have you ever reached a point where you’ve advised your sister that it might be time for her to move on from him? Megan Kingsbury admits to having done so many times. Maddi’s father, David, expressed his distress at how poorly Fravel treated Maddi, saying that despite her overflowing love for him, she received nothing in return. Maddi’s stepmother, Cathy, shared that Maddi often called, distraught that Fravel was no help with the children. According to Cathy, Maddi would cry and express frustration over Adam’s lack of assistance.
However, Maddi’s loved ones reveal that the situation went beyond emotional arguments. About three years before Maddi went missing, Hailey Scott witnessed Fravel slap Maddi during a video call. Scott recalls that Fravel appeared in the background, yelling at Maddi about the messy house, to which Maddi suggested he assist her. In response, Fravel turned and struck her across the face. Additionally, in September 2021, 18 months prior to Maddi’s disappearance, she confided in Scott about Fravel’s disturbing fixation on the Gabby Petito case, describing it as an infatuation that turned threatening.
The Petito case captivated the nation in fall 2021, following the tragic death of the young woman from Long Island. Scott recounts Maddi’s account of Fravel’s menacing behavior after they watched a news special on the Petito case. Fravel allegedly grabbed Maddi by the throat, pinned her down, and warned her that she could meet a similar fate if she wasn’t careful. Despite efforts from friends like Katie Kolka to intervene and urge Maddi to seek help or document the abuse, Maddi never reported anything to the police out of fear that Fravel would be arrested.
However, Maddi did confide in her father, David, and stepmother, Cathy, about the choking incident. Cathy recalls Maddi’s intense fear and desperation for help following the traumatic event. David and Cathy ultimately helped Maddi and her children leave the house and stayed with them briefly before Maddi decided to return to Fravel, who was upset by her departure. David even warned Maddi that Fravel might resort to extreme violence. Maddi’s family and friends reported these incidents to the police after her disappearance.
A search warrant revealed that detectives questioned Fravel about any physical altercations with Maddi, to which he denied any incidents. Fravel admitted to making Petito comments, attributing them to a joke. Investigators discovered a saved text exchange between Maddi and Adam, where Maddi expressed discomfort over an incident when Fravel put his hand around her neck and pushed her down in front of their children. Detectives probed Fravel’s activities on the day Maddi disappeared, collecting surveillance footage that showed a blue minivan resembling Maddi’s on Highway 43, which contradicted Fravel’s account. A 45-minute gap in surveillance coverage raised questions about Fravel’s whereabouts during that time. Despite no direct evidence and Maddi’s absence, Fravel was not arrested and remained at his parents’ residence with the children. Megan Kingsbury continued updating Maddi’s disappearance on TikTok. As the investigation progressed, a new lead emerged regarding Maddi’s romantic involvement with an Army veteran named Spencer Sullivan. Sullivan disclosed his relationship with Maddi and his acquaintance with Fravel from college. Maddi had confided in her father about her failing relationship with Fravel and was candid about her embarrassment. She had reconnected with Sullivan on Tinder, leading to a discreet romantic relationship.
Mostly, the relationship between Maddi and Sullivan was kept a secret from Fravel. Maddi’s family and friends were aware of it, and they alerted the police about Sullivan when Maddi went missing. This prompted investigators to call Sullivan in for questioning.
During the interview, Sullivan was asked general questions about the timeline of their relationship and his whereabouts on certain dates. He provided his alibi and surrendered his phone for verification. It was revealed that Maddi had confided in Fravel about Sullivan just six days before she vanished, expressing her intention to leave him and find a new place to live with their children.
Maddi’s loved ones were surprised by the news of the breakup, as she had been a cherished member of their extended family. Fravel’s siblings expressed their shock and sadness over the situation, highlighting the seven-year history of Adam and Maddi’s on-again, off-again relationship.
Tensions escalated between Maddi and Fravel following her disclosure about Sullivan, leading to a confrontation the day before she disappeared. Maddi sought solace at Sullivan’s home, where they celebrated his birthday together.
After confirming Sullivan’s alibi and investigating further, the police cleared him of any involvement in Maddi’s disappearance. Maddi’s friend Hailey Scott praised Sullivan for showing Maddi that she deserved better than her previous relationship. Sullivan expressed his devastation about Maddi’s disappearance and the impact it had on him.
F, you know, things like this just don’t happen here. We were discussing her recent move to a new place and she wanted me to help her with decorating and other tasks. But the next day, she was gone. He mentioned that he couldn’t stop thinking about the birthday card Maddi had given him. Spencer Sullivan expressed how he read that card over a hundred times, and it made him think about a LEGO kit. Four days after Maddi disappeared, her parents were granted temporary custody of her children. Megan Kingsbury shared on TikTok that her niece and nephew were no longer with their father and assured everyone that they were in good hands. When Maddi’s friend, Lauren Debois, remembered a conversation they had about Adam, Maddi had expressed concerns about her children’s safety. Ten days after Maddi vanished, police received a tip about Adam being seen with a shovel near his parents’ home. Cadaver dogs detected a scent in his vehicle and on the shovel. Two days later, Adam released a statement through his lawyers denying any involvement in Maddi’s disappearance. Kolka and others gathered to honor Maddi at a local church 35 days after she went missing.
David Kingsbury addressed the crowd, emphasizing the need for information to find Madeline. On June 7, 2023, Megan Kingsbury updated TikTok followers on the continued search for Maddi. Later that day, human remains were discovered by a sheriff’s deputy, and Maddi’s family believed it could be her. The news left them devastated, with Katie Kolka visibly emotional as captured by a doorbell camera. The following day, Winona’s police chief confirmed the discovery of the remains to reporters.
The remains have been positively identified as those of Madeline Kingsbury. Krista Naber expressed the shock and devastation of losing a child, especially in such a tragic manner. Megan Kingsbury detailed the grim discovery of Madeline’s body, wrapped in a gray bed sheet with duct tape and a towel around her head. Adam Fravel was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, with evidence pointing to the bed sheet matching one from Madeline’s home and the location of the crime scene being connected to the Fravel family. Madeline’s autopsy revealed her cause of death as “homicidal violence.”
In a shocking turn of events, Adam Fravel was later indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection with Madeline’s death. Investigators uncovered a possible motive related to financial issues and the end of the relationship between Fravel and Madeline. Suspicious behavior, such as the removal of surveillance cameras from the couple’s home, raised further questions about Fravel’s involvement in the crime.
Fravel’s family maintains his innocence, suggesting alternative theories and pointing to evidence like the cadaver dogs alerting to a utility vehicle and shovel, which they claim were innocently used for moving a dead raccoon. Despite their defense efforts, Fravel’s legal team is contesting the admissibility of his police interview and arguing against the first-degree murder charge due to lack of evidence. Fravel’s siblings have raised suspicions about another individual, Spencer Sullivan, urging authorities to explore all possible scenarios in the investigation.
To protect Adam, there is a need to come to terms with the belief that they have the right person. David Kingsbury expressed his personal opinion on this matter, emphasizing the importance of facing the truth. While our legal system upholds the presumption of innocence for all, there is also a court of common sense where all signs point to Adam Fravel.
Speaking out with the hope of preventing a similar tragedy from befalling others, the Kingsbury family shares their story. They do not want anyone else to experience what they have endured. Despite the emotional toll, they do not place blame on themselves but acknowledge the complexities of the situation.
Reflecting on his daughter Maddi’s fate, David Kingsbury grapples with the haunting reality of being a father to a murdered girl. The impact of Maddi’s disappearance reverberates through the hearts of those close to her. Spencer Sullivan, who shared a special bond with Maddi, regrets not reciprocating her love in time. The void left by her absence is palpable, stealing away the future they had envisioned together.
Megan Kingsbury, deeply connected to her sister Maddi, struggles to envision a life without her. Their bond transcended mere sisterhood, serving as pillars of support for each other. Maddi’s memory is cherished by those who knew her, recognizing her significance in their lives.
In a judicial ruling, Adam Fravel was convicted of murder and handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole. This verdict marks the culmination of a tragic chapter in the lives of all involved.
Looking beyond the headlines, a closer examination of the case reveals the meticulous efforts undertaken by investigative journalists. Peter Van Sant and Producer Jordan Kinsey delve into the impact of social media, particularly TikTok, in mobilizing a community to aid in the search for Maddi Kingsbury. Their thorough coverage of the case from its inception sheds light on the evidence presented during Adam Fravel’s trial.
The behind-the-scenes insights provided by the podcast offer a glimpse into the dedication and perseverance of the investigative team. Producer Paul LaRosa, along with the production crew, meticulously dissect the details of the case, unraveling the complexities surrounding Maddi’s disappearance and the subsequent legal proceedings.
As the story unfolds, the narrative captures the essence of a community united in seeking justice for Maddi. The tireless efforts of all involved, from law enforcement to media professionals, underscore the collective determination to honor Maddi’s memory and ensure accountability for those responsible.
In a world where tragedies like Maddi’s are all too common, her legacy serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring impact of love and friendship. The echoes of her presence resonate through the hearts of those who knew her, a testament to the indelible mark she left on the world.
