On the first day of deliberations, the jury in Adam Fravel’s murder trial failed to reach a verdict.

Lawyers presented their closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of Adam Fravel, who is accused of murdering Madeline Kingsburyhis ex-partner and mother of his children. The case is now in the hands of the jury.

Deliberating for about seven hours, they ended the night at 9:30 p.m., the time set by the judge in the case. With two hours left in the night, the jury had some questions for the judge, including clarification on premeditation and whether Fravel could be found guilty on all charges, which he could.

The juror is sequestered, meaning he is staying in a hotel with no access to the media and cannot communicate with anyone. Deliberations will begin Thursday at 8 am.

Fravel is charged with first and second degree murder in Kingsbury’s death last year. He faces life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge.

As previously reported, Kingsbury first went missing from his home on March 31, 2023. A large-scale search effort soon escalated in southeastern Minnesota, and Kingsbury’s body was found tied with duct tape to a sheet along a rural road in Fillmore County in June 2023. .

Prosecutors built a case that portrayed Fravel as an abusive partner who had commented that Kingsbury ended up like Gabby Petito, a social media influencer who was strangled to death by her boyfriend.

During closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors said Fravel had the motive, opportunity and means to kill Kingsbury.

Prosecutor Phillip Prokopowicz highlighted the couple’s breakup and Kingsbury’s decision to start dating an old friend. She said Fravel was “emotionally and financially dependent” on Kingsbury, was jealous of their new relationship and “would never allow another man to raise her children.”

Meanwhile, the defense worked to downplay the abuse allegations and cast doubt on the investigation into Kingsbury’s death and the search for his remains.

On Wednesday, Fravel’s attorneys argued that authorities had “tunnel vision” directed at Fravel during the case, and “when the facts did not fit his case, they were dismissed, not investigated.”

Defense attorney Zachary Bauer refuted the prosecution’s version that Fravel and Kingsbury had broken up and even claimed that the two were discussing having more children together and getting married.

Closing arguments concluded around 1:30 p.m. Jurors were instructed and given until 9:30 to deliberate. Since no verdict was reached, they will return to the matter on Thursday.

Winona County District Judge Nancy Buytendorp agreed to move trial to Blue Earth County due to extensive pretrial publicity in the Winona area. Even with the move, jury selection took a week and a half before both sides reached an agreement. 12 jurors and five alternates. Both sides gave their opening statements on October 17.

According to sister station KAAL, prosecutors presented 68 witnesses appear on the stand over two weeksincluding Kingsbury’s parents, police investigators and forensic scientists.

Fravel’s defense team called five witnesses, including two law enforcement officers, Fravel’s brother and neighbors of the couple’s home in Winona and Fravel’s parents in Mabel. Fravel did not testify in his own defense.

The defense dropped its case on Friday and the court took a two-day recess starting this week to accommodate Election Day voting.