A Minnesota mother has been found guilty of murdering her two young sons and setting their home on fire in a crime that federal authorities described as horrific and unthinkable.
Jennifer Marie Stately, 37, was convicted on Thursday, Feb. 26, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. The jury found her guilty of five counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson stemming from the March 15, 2024 killings.
The children who died were identified as Remi Stately, 6, and Tristan Stately, 5.
Prosecutors said Stately attacked two of her children with a knife before deliberately setting multiple fires inside the residence. According to investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, she used gasoline and lighter fluid to ignite three separate fires, including blazes at both exit points of the home.
Authorities previously reported that one child died from stab wounds to the chest, while the other succumbed to smoke inhalation as the flames spread through the house.
After the fire was set, Stately fled the scene. An AMBER Alert was issued, and she was later spotted by another motorist driving with her 3-year-old son in the vehicle. Authorities said the child was covered in wounds and suffering visible signs of neglect at the time he was found.
Stately had initially been charged with murdering two minors and neglecting a third child. Following the trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of murder in the course of committing child abuse, and one count of murder in the course of committing arson.
Though Stately attempted to mount an insanity defense, jurors ultimately rejected her claims and held her criminally responsible for the killings.
U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced the convictions, marking the end of a case that deeply impacted the Red Lake community and drew cooperation from federal, state and tribal law enforcement.
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans addressed the emotional toll of the case in a statement.
“We all witnessed the devastating aftermath of Jennifer Stately’s horrific and unthinkable actions that night,” Evans said. “We hope that holding her accountable for her crimes will provide some sense of justice for the family and the entire Red Lake community who are forever impacted by the loss of these two young boys.”
Rick Evanchec, Interim Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, echoed those sentiments.
“The FBI is honored to have partnered with federal, state and tribal law enforcement partners to bring justice to these young victims who had no chance at survival while in the care of the one person who should have kept them safe,” Evanchec said.
