Red Lake Woman Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Her Two Children

MINNEAPOLIS - United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Jennifer Marie Stately, 37, of Red Lake, was sentenced to life in prison for five counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson. The defendant was sentenced before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim on November 6, 2026.

Stately was previously convicted by a federal jury on February 25, 2026, following a two-and-a-half-week trial.

"Jennifer Stately's murder of two of her children shocks the conscience. I offer my deepest condolences to the family and Red Lake community who lost two innocent lives," said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.

"Today's sentence ensures Jennifer Stately is held accountable for the unimaginable violence she inflicted on two young children," said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "While no sentence can undo this loss, we hope it provides some measure of justice for the victims' loved ones and the Red Lake community. The FBI and our partners remain committed to seeking justice on behalf of victims who cannot speak for themselves."

"This case is truly unfathomable. Two innocent children lost their lives in an act of unimaginable violence," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joseph Persails of the St. Paul Field Division. "One child may have survived the injuries inflicted upon him, but the fire his mother set ultimately sealed his fate. This case serves as a tragic reminder that arson is not merely a property crime. Fire is indiscriminate and deadly. An ATF Certified Fire Investigator responded to this horrific scene and will forever carry the memories of what was witnessed. While no sentence can undo this loss, today's sentence ensures accountability for an extraordinarily heinous crime."

"Jennifer Stately committed the ultimate betrayal when she took her children's lives," said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. "While today's sentence holds her accountable, no sentence can bring these children back or erase the pain and suffering left behind."

"The Red Lake Department of Public Safety would like to say 'miigwech,' meaning thank you, to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Long Prairie Police Department, and to all the first responders who played a role in finding justice for the devastating loss of two innocent victims on March 15, 2024.

"A parent's fundamental obligation is to protect their children when those children cannot protect themselves. The actions and betrayal of the defendant on March 15, 2024, represent a violation of trust and responsibility associated with parenthood. Although no punishment can ever be equal to the lives lost, the sentence reflects the gravity of the crime.

"The memory of our two young community members will forever be in our thoughts and prayers of the Red Lake Nation," said Director of Red Lake Department of Public Safety Kendall Kingbird Sr.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 15, 2024, Jennifer Marie Stately attacked and killed two of her young children. The evidence at trial showed that Stately, when alone with the children at their home on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, assaulted the boys causing numerous injuries and attacked them with a knife. Stately fatally stabbed her older son before setting the home on fire. Investigators with the ATF determined Stately used gasoline and lighter fluid to ignite three separate fires, including fires at both exit points of the home. While the older boy died of his sharp force injuries, the younger boy was trapped inside and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

After setting fire to the home, Stately fled the scene and was missing for several hours. The Red Lake Tribal Police Department issued an AMBER Alert, and, less than an hour later, a motorist spotted Stately in Todd County, approximately 150 miles south of the Stately home. Minnesota State Patrol, the Todd County Sheriff's Department, and the Long Prairie Police Department responded to Stately's location. She was apprehended and booked in the Todd County Jail.

This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Todd County Sheriff's Department, the Long Prairie Police Department, and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the case.