Federal Jury Convicts Red Lake Mother of Murder, Arson in Sons' Deaths

A federal jury in downtown Minneapolis returned a guilty verdict Feb. 26, 2026, finding 37-year-old Jennifer Marie Stately guilty on five counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson for the March 15, 2024 deaths of two of her children at their Red Lake Nation home. The Department of Justice announcement and several outlets reported the verdict Feb. 26; the Star Tribune reported the jury reached its verdict Feb. 25.

Stately stood trial beginning Feb. 10, 2026, in U.S. District Court after a trial lasting over two weeks. Jurors reportedly viewed graphic images of the scene and “silently wiped away tears” while viewing images of the victims, whom the Star Tribune identified as Remi and Tristan, ages 5 and 6. The Star Tribune also reported a federal jury deliberated for just one hour before returning the verdict.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Stately stabbed the two boys and set her house on fire at the Red Lake reservation. WDIO and CBS reported investigators found that gasoline and lighter fluid were used to ignite three separate fires inside the home, with CBS saying two of those fires blocked exits. Star Tribune reported Stately “stabbed them, set her house on fire and fled with her then 3‑year‑old son,” and the case prompted an Amber Alert that outlets described as Minnesota’s first Amber Alert issued from a tribal reservation.

The defense had advanced an insanity theory at trial. Star Tribune quoted defense counsel saying, “She was mentally ill and believed her two older sons ‘threatened to kill her,’” but jurors rejected that defense and convicted Stately on all federal counts, according to federal prosecutors and reporting by CBS, Fox9 and WDIO.

Jurisdictional complications followed the March 2024 attack. Fox9 reported Stately was initially charged in state court with child torture, third-degree assault of a child under 4 and malicious punishment of a child, but those state charges were dismissed after courts found the Red Lake Reservation outside state jurisdiction. Fox9 noted the reservation is exempt from the federal statute that grants some states jurisdiction over crimes on tribal lands, which complicated early charging decisions.

Federal agencies led the investigation and prosecution. WDIO quoted Rick Evanchec, Interim Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office: “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,” and WDIO attributed a statement to U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen that begins, in part, “The guilty verdict this week brings justice to a case that has deeply affected our entire Red Lake Nation community... 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. The Red Lake Department of Public Safety remain committed to protecting our community, standing with” (statement as provided in the court media release).

Stately remains in U.S. Marshals Service custody pending sentencing; no sentencing date has been set. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Minnesota BCA Crime Scene Technicians, Todd County Sheriff’s Office, Long Prairie Police Department and Red Lake Department of Public Safety were all cited by prosecutors as participating in the investigation and prosecution.