From left: Jennifer Stately (Todd County Jail) and her sons Remi and Tristan Stately (Whispering Pines Funeral Home).
A federal jury in Minnesota convicted a 37-year-old mother for stabbing her 6-year-old son to death before torching their home so her 5-year-old son could not escape and running off with her surviving child who suffered burns to 95% of his body.
Jennifer Marie Stately was found guilty of two counts of first-degree 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, the Department of Justice said. She fatally stabbed her son Remi Stately, 6, while Tristan Stately, 5, died of smoke inhalation at their home on Red Lake Nation.
After murdering Remi, Stately set three fires inside the home using gasoline and lighter fluid, including at the two exits which trapped him inside.
Rick Evanchec, the Interim Special Agent in Charge of the FBI”s Minneapolis Field Office, said the children had “no chance at survival while in the care of the one person who should have kept them safe.”
The violence erupted on March 15, 2024, at the Red Lake Indian Reservation. After the attacks on Remi and Tristan, Stately took off with her 3-year-old but was eventually apprehended thanks to an Amber Alert and an eagle-eyed motorist.
The missing children notification went out once police had discovered the fire on the reservation and within an hour, the Red Lake woman was spotted with the 3-year-old and arrested.
“We all witnessed the devastating aftermath of Jennifer Stately’s horrific and unthinkable actions that night. 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,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans.
Jurors convicted Stately after a 2 1/2-week trial. Stately’s lawyers presented an insanity defense but jurors rejected that argument. A sentencing date has yet to be set.
Stately was indicted by the feds after local prosecutors in Todd County opted to dismiss an extensive number of existing state child abuse and neglect charges. They were dismissed so she could be charged federally.
The level of alleged neglect of Stately’s children was profound, court records show. The 3-year-old reeked of body odor because he had not been changed or washed in days. The sores covering his face were bleeding where they were not scabbed and the bottoms of his feet were so full of scabs that he could not stand because of the pain. The child’s teeth were also so rotted that he could not eat properly, prosecutors said.
Remi’s obituary described him as a fun-loving little boy who enjoyed playing with his siblings and loved the movie “Toy Story” and the kid’s television show Bubble Guppies. Tristan was described as an outgoing protector of his brothers despite being the middle child.
Brandi Buchman contributed to this report
