Missing Minnesota woman’s remains found in woods, leading to ex-boyfriend’s arrest

WINONA, Minn. (AP) — Authorities confirmed Thursday that human remains found in a remote area of southern Minnesota are those of a woman who went missing in March and whose ex-boyfriend is jailed on suspicion of killing her.

Madeline Kingsbury, who would have turned 27 on June 1, was last seen on March 31 after dropping off her two young children at day care in Winona, a southeastern Minnesota city of about 26,000 residents that sits across the Mississippi River from Wisconsin. Her remains were found Wednesday in a wooded area along a gravel road near Mabel, about 46 miles (74 kilometers) south of Winona.

Police said at a news conference Thursday that an autopsy confirmed the remains were Kingsbury’s. They didn’t reveal the cause of death.

“Unfortunately, while this discovery was not what we were hoping for, we are thankful to be able to bring Maddie home to her family,” Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said.

Kingsbury’s family said in a statement that they were “relieved” that her body was found, KTTC-TV reported.

“We’re certain that the correct person has been arrested, will be appropriately charged, and convicted of his crimes,” the statement read.

Hours after the body was found, deputies arrested the 29-year-old father of Kingsbury’s two children on suspicion of second-degree murder. He hasn’t been formally charged yet and remains in jail.

Kingsbury’s parents have been caring for the two children, ages 2 and 5, since she went missing.

Williams estimated that around 2,000 people had joined in the search for Kingsbury, and police investigated hundreds of tips.