Most residents think Adam Fravel is responsible in Kingsbury death: Court docs

WINONA, Minn. (FOX 9) - As the defense argues for the case to be moved out of Winona County, attorneys for Adam Fravel say a survey shows most Winona County residents believe he was responsible for the death of Madeline Kingsbury.

Kingsbury's body was found last June in Fillmore County, after a months-long search in southern Minnesota. Fravel was arrested hours after the discovery and charged two days later on June 9.

In January, Fravel's attorneys filed motions to dismiss the case and move the trial out of Winona County. In briefings filed on Wednesday, the prosecution laid out their arguments against moving the trial to another venue.

According to the briefing filed by the prosecution, Fravel's legal team commissioned a survey that showed the vast majority of Winona County residents (89%) were aware of the case and, of that group, 74% had "formed an opinion that [Fravel] caused the death of Madeline Kingsbury."

In response, the prosecution points to the decision in the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd – which was not moved out of Hennepin County.

"A fair trial does not mean jurors must be ‘totally ignorant of the facts and issues involved’ in an important criminal case,'" writes the prosecution, citing precedent.

Under that reading, prosecutors say the survey doesn't show that future jurors will be prejudiced in their deliberations or what knowledge of the case they have.

A trial date has not yet been set in the Fravel case. It's unclear when the judge will render a decision on the change of venue request.