Jury finds Red Lake mother guilty of 6 counts of murder, arson

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis jury found a Red Lake woman guilty of murdering two of her children after a two-and-a-half week trial.

Jennifer Stately, 37, was charged with murder, arson and child neglect in federal court after her two sons, 5-year-old Tristan and 6-year-old Remi, were found dead in a burning house with stab wounds in March 2024.

The older boy died from a fatal wound, and the younger died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

“The evidence at trial showed that Stately, when alone with the children at their home on Red Lake Nation, assaulted the boys causing numerous injuries and attacked them with a knife. Stately fatally stabbed her older son before setting the home on fire,” a Thursday, Feb. 26, news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated. “Investigators with the ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] determined Stately used gasoline and lighter fluid to ignite three separate fires, including fires at both exit points of the home.”

Stately, according to court documents, then fled the scene with another son, 3, prompting the first statewide Amber Alert from Red Lake Tribal Police.

Contributed

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Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

Stately was apprehended about three hours later in Todd County. The 3-year-old was found with injuries and appeared to be malnourished.

The jury returned guilty verdicts on six counts: two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of murder in the course of committing child abuse, one count of murder in the course of committing arson and one count of arson. Stately’s attorney pursued an insanity defense, but the jury rejected it.

“The guilty verdict this week brings justice to a case that has deeply affected our entire Red Lake Nation community, stated Kendall Kingbird Sr., director of Red Lake Department of Public Safety. "On behalf of the dedicated men and women of this department, I want to acknowledge the tireless work of our investigators along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota BCA Crime Scene Technicians, Todd County Sheriff’s Office, Long Prairie Police Department and lastly the United States Attorney’s Office for their professionalism and determination with such a tragic incident.

“Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of the victims. No verdict can undo the pain of their loss, but we hope this outcome provides some sense of closure.”

Sentencing will occur at a later date.