WINONA, Minn. – The Winona County prosecutor, Karin Sonneman, wants the judge to throw the book at Adam Fravel for the slaying of his girlfriend — really throw the book at him. Sonneman has asked Judge Mary Leahy to go beyond sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder, which maxes out at 40 years. With a birthday coming up, Fravel, if convicted, could be 70 by the time he gets out. Meanwhile Fravel is in jail. He has proclaimed innocence. In a message to the judge, Sonneman says justice requires what’s called an “aggravated elevation” of the sentence for “particular cruelty” to the family of Maddi Kingsbury, whose body lay hidden in culvert north of Mabel for 69 days. The decomposition was such, Sonneman said, that a proper farewell for the family was impossible. She noted too that the couple’s children, 5 and 2, were in prolonged confusion and uncertainty not knowing where their mother was, what happened to her, and why they couldn’t spend time with her. Also, the grandparents, who now have custody of the children, had the wrenching task of explaining the death to the children after the body was discovered, Sonneman said.
