Defense for Adam Fravel closes its case after 5 witnesses take the stand

By Olivia Estright | Post Bulletin

The defense for Adam Fravel began calling its witnesses, including Fravel’s older brother and neighbors, to the stand on Friday morning, Nov. 1. The defense’s case closed soon after.

Fravel, whose trial began on Oct. 7, is charged with first-degree murder while committing domestic abuse with a past pattern of domestic abuse, first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Madeline Kingsbury.

Compared to the volume of testimony introduced by the prosecution — 68 witnesses over 10 days of testimony — the defense called five witnesses to the stand, using only one day to state its case.

After the defense’s final witness testified, Zachary Bauer told the court that Fravel is choosing not to testify. The defense then rested its case before noon on Friday.

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The state, represented by Phillip Prokopowicz and Christina Galewski, rested its case on Thursday, Oct. 31. Judge Nancy Buytendorp told the 17 jurors on Thursday that the case will likely be handed over to them following closing arguments, which are now scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 6.

Previously, the court was told that the jurors would begin deliberating on Monday, Nov. 4. Due to Election Day on Nov. 5, the court rescheduled closing statements for the following day.

After 19 days of jury selection and testimony from the state’s witnesses, the defense, represented by Bauer and Grace Dokken, began its case by calling up the first witness, investigator Nathan Smith of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

Houston County Sheriff’s Office investigators are first to testify

Smith testified that he began investigating the disappearance of Kingsbury on April 2, 2023, and was assigned to place a GPS tracker on the car that police anticipated Fravel would be driving.

Smith said he brought a tracker to the Fravel residence in Mabel, Minnesota, while he was in an assigned, unmarked Toyota Camry. Around noon, law enforcement told him there was a search warrant for GPS tracking of Fravel’s vehicle. Smith followed the vehicle to a Kwik Trip, waited until no one was near the vehicle, then placed the tracker on the bottom of the car.

Bauer asked why it’s necessary for trackers to be hidden.

“So people aren’t aware that some sort of investigation is being conducted,” Smith testified.

Bauer continued to question the tracker, asking why it was necessary to still keep eyes on the vehicle in addition to tracking its location and who would monitor the tracker location.

“My job was to place the tracker,” Smith said. “That’s the only job I had with it.”

Bauer asked whether Smith had any other roles with searches and search parties, then questioned the role of Preble Town Hall. Smith said law enforcement used the town hall for search parties, which aligns with what Sgt. Adam Brommerich testified on Thursday.

Prosecutor Galewski cross-examined Smith, clarifying that GPS trackers need to be authorized by judges and that they don’t give an exact location for every movement.

Investigator Steven Garrett, another officer from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, was the second witness called to the stand. Garrett testified that he began helping with the investigation into Kingsbury’s disappearance on April 2, 2023.

Garrett told the court he searched County Road 18 back to Highway 43, specifically searching ditches and a rock quarry on foot.

The next day, on April 3, 2023, he brought an ATV with him to continue his search along roads west of Highway 43. Garrett testified that he searched dead-end roads using the ATV, rather than by foot that day.

He said he searched 198th Street, the road where Kingsbury’s body was found, by ATV. He said at that time of the year, there was no greenery along the street. There were steep ditches with tall, overgrown brown grass, he said. He did not see anything “unusual” at the bottom of the ditches on the side of the road.

Garrett was also questioned by Bauer about Preble Town Hall. He testfied that the search efforts were coordinated by Winona County Emergency Management, Winona law enforcement and the Fillmore Police Department.

Garrett was not questioned by the state.

Fravel’s relatives take the stand

Fravel’s brother, Ryan, was the third witness to take the stand on Friday. Ryan Fravel said Adam was the youngest of his three siblings, with the sister being seven years older than Adam and Ryan being 12 years older.

Ryan told the court he was introduced to Kingsbury around 2014 and observed the couple being “very lovey-dovey.” Though he said they were on and off, Ryan testified that the two children “adored both Adam and Madeline.” Ryan said the children looked to Adam for comfort and loved playing outside with him. He continued to testify that he never witnessed any fighting between Kingsbury and Adam, nor did he ever see any bruises on Kingsbury.

After Kingsbury disappeared, Ryan said he participated in two search parties. The first search party was on April 2, 2023, which was organized by a friend of Adam and Kingsbury. The second was about a week later in Goodview, Minnesota, Ryan said.

The state questioned Ryan about the age difference between him and Adam. Galewski asked whether Adam communicated with him from the time Kingsbury went missing to April 6, 2023.

Ryan said he did not hear from his brother at the time.

“He tends to be a reserved person,” Ryan said.

Bauer asked whether Ryan saw Adam angry. He testified that Adam wasn’t angry, but protective of his kids.

“In your whole life, you’ve never seen Adam Fravel angry?” Galewski questioned.

“No, never,” Ryan said.

Raymond Curtis, a neighbor of the Fravels’ Mabel residence, said he’s lived on joint lands with the Fravels for several decades.

Curtis testified that the traffic along County Road 18 increased after Kingsbury disappeared, noting he saw some marked law enforcement vehicles and some unmarked ones driving down the road during the day.

Bauer asked whether law enforcement ever searched his yard. He testified that he never saw them searching, but he did spot them on one of his cameras.

The first question Galewski asked for the state’s cross-examination was whether he was related to Fravel, which was not asked during the defense’s questioning. Curtis said he was the cousin of Adam Fravel’s dad, Richard.

Galewski asked Curtis about the backside of his property, whether it was partly wooded and whether there was an open field. Curtis said the field is on top of a hill and isn’t visible from his backyard. Curtis also testified that there are no ATV trails on his property.

Neighbor said he saw an ‘unidentified person’ near Winona residence

The defense then called up Robert Albrecht, a neighbor of Fravel's and Kingsbury’s Winona residence.

Albrecht, who’s been living on Kerry Drive since the 1980s, testified that on March 31, 2023, he went outside to smoke a cigarette when he saw “an unidentified person” near the Fravel and Kingsbury residence.

Albrecht couldn’t recall the time he saw it or any identifying features, other than the person was “slender.”

Following a long morning break while Albrecht reviewed the statement he provided to police, Juror No. 11 asked the court to be released from the case due to a vacation. She was released by both parties. The jury now consists of 12 jurors and four alternates.

Albrecht was back on the stand after the break. The defense first questioned whether it was “early morning or late morning” when he saw the unidentified person waving at him, and Albrecht said late morning. Before the break, Albrecht did not mention that the “unidentified person” waved at him.

During cross-examination, Prokopowicz asked whether Albrecht testified about what he remembered or because he reread his police reports.

“I remember some of it,” Albrecht said.

Bauer then questioned Albrecht again as to whether Fravel was the one who waved at him that day. Albrecht said it was not Fravel who waved at him.

Following Albrecht’s testimony, the defense closed its case when Fravel confirmed that he wouldn’t be taking the stand.

Then closing arguments were set for Wednesday. Jurors were told that they should bring an overnight bag in case deliberation lasts until Thursday.