The ex-boyfriend of Madeline Kingsbury, who was murdered in Minnesota, was given a life sentence in prison.

The man who was once in a relationship with Madeline Kingsbury, a 26-year-old mother who disappeared in 2023 and was discovered deceased after a 69-day search, was given a life sentence without the possibility of release on Tuesday.

In Winona, Minnesota, District Judge Nancy Buytendorp sentenced Adam Fravel, 30, to premeditated first-degree murder after he was convicted of the crime 136 miles away in Mankato due to pretrial publicity, according to The Associated Press.

"Buytendorp stated that the sentence serves as a clear warning that violence will not be tolerated in the community and hopes that it will inspire collective action to prevent future tragedies."

During sentencing, Fravel, who did not testify in his defense at trial, declared his innocence and stated that he never caused harm to Maddie.

In March 2023, Kingsbury, who shared two young children with Fravel, went missing after dropping their kids off at daycare. Her disappearance, which gained national attention, prompted a massive search that lasted more than two months.

In June 2023, a deputy discovered her body in a culvert on a dead-end road near a property owned by Fravel's parents. She was enveloped in a gray fitted sheet secured with duct tape. Fravel was apprehended shortly after the discovery.

It is likely that Kingsbury died from asphyxiation, as prosecutors revealed that she was strangled with a towel.

According to The AP, Winona County Attorney Karin Sonneman stated in court that the crimes committed by Mr. Fravel had a profound impact on the community, exposing the depths of domestic violence and the callous actions of a man who disregarded the long-term effects of his behavior on his children.

According to the outlet, witnesses who testified about seeing bruises on Kingsbury's neck also stated that she planned to leave Fravel for another man due to alleged abusive behavior and inadequate financial contributions.

Bauer, representing Fravel, informed the judge that they plan to appeal the verdict, contending that the trial centered on "tunnel vision, distorted history, and concealed facts."

The two children, shared by Fravel and Kingsbury, now reside with their parents, who were present in the courtroom during the sentencing.

Catherine, Kingsbury's mother, had a statement read to the court on her behalf.

"I will never comprehend a father who could and did do this to his children. He took away a mother's love, the kind of love that only Maddie could give them. The knowledge of this horror will forever haunt me. All that Adam had to do was walk away and let Maddie go. He chose not to do that. He chose evil over good."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.