MANKATO, Minn. – The tedious process of jury selection for the Favel murder trial continued into a second day with three initial empanelments. Several potential jurors were excused either at the instruction of Judge Nancy Buytendorp or motions from attorneys. Fravel was in court in a dark gray suit jacket. He took notes. His defense attorneys quietly asked him from time to time if he had questions. He’s facing possible life in prison for the 2023 disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury, whose body was found hidden near the rural home of Fravel’s parents in Fillmore County. Selected for the jury so far:
> A middle-age mother who claimed no knowledge of the case and limited knowledge of the justice system.
> A middle-age grandmother who works as a paralegal and who recalled when Maddi Kingsbury went missing, and when her remains were found but who professed not to have formed an opinion on the case.
> A woman business owner, born in Germany, who admitted an interest in crime shows and mystery movies but who said she had no prior knowledge of the Fravel case.
Judge Buytendorp excused six potential jurors from serving. She said one exhibited an inability to stay attentive through a trial that may last a month. Another potential juror had expressed doubt about being unbiased, given that this stepfather was murdered when he was a child. Another was excused after expressing excitement about the case and having watched television news about the case the night before. Another had admitted negative feelings toward Fravel because of the severity of the crime.