Red Lake (trfnews.i234.me) — A new trial date is set in the federal murder case against Jennifer Marie Stately of Red Lake, Minnesota.
Court records filed in November 2025 show jury selection is now scheduled to start on February 9, 2026. The case will be heard in the U.S. District Court in Minnesota.
Stately is accused of killing two of her young sons and setting their home on fire on March 15, 2024. Federal prosecutors say she then left the scene with a third child, which later led to an Amber Alert and a traffic stop away from the reservation.
Stately faces several federal counts. Those include premeditated murder, murder during child abuse, murder during arson, arson, and felony child neglect. She has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.
The case was moved into federal court because the alleged crimes happened on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Red Lake is a sovereign tribal nation and is not under Minnesota’s criminal authority under Public Law 280. Major crimes there go to federal court rather than state court. Readers can find background on that law at this U.S. Justice Department explainer.
In December 2024, Stately’s attorney filed notice of an insanity defense. That filing led prosecutors to request a full mental health review. A federal judge ordered Stately to undergo a psychiatric exam at a secure federal medical facility in Los Angeles.
Court filings show the exam has been completed. The written report is sealed, so details of the findings are not public. Judges and attorneys will still be able to rely on the report as they prepare for trial.
Earlier in the case, Stately had a trial date set for March 3, 2025. That date was pushed back while lawyers argued over evidence, mental health questions, and pretrial motions. A recent federal order also addressed and denied defense requests to suppress some statements and search results.
According to the original federal indictment and a U.S. Department of Justice press release, prosecutors say one child died from a stab wound. They say the second child survived stab wounds but died from smoke inhalation after the fire. The DOJ release can be read at justice.gov.
Officials say the third child was found during the Amber Alert stop and showed signs of neglect. That child survived and is named in one of the federal child neglect counts. A feature story by the national AMBER Advocate outlines how law enforcement used the alert system in this case.
The Red Lake community has held memorials and public gatherings since the deaths. Many residents continue to watch the case and ask for more mental health and family support services on the reservation.
The upcoming trial is expected to include testimony from investigators, medical experts, and mental health professionals. Jurors will decide whether Stately is guilty of the charges or not guilty by reason of insanity.
This case remains a developing story. More information is expected in new court filings as the February 2026 trial date approaches.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
This animal deserves to rot and go straight to hell!
Death penalty is what needs to start happening