WISCONSIN – A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of his 87-year-old grandfather and has agreed to testify against his own mother, who prosecutors say orchestrated the killing as part of a bizarre conspiracy involving claims about supernatural forces.
Jacob Kempainen entered his plea as part of a deal that dismissed open murder, conspiracy, and firearm charges. In exchange, he will take the witness stand against his mother, Margaret Kempainen, when her trial begins in 2026.
The horrific crime unfolded in December 2023 when authorities discovered Alvin Kempainen, 87, dead from a gunshot wound at his Wisconsin home. His daughter Margaret and grandson Jacob had left Minnesota several days earlier, and investigators quickly identified them as suspects.
Police apprehended the mother and son at a gas station in Iowa on December 19, 2023, the same day the elderly victim’s body was found. During questioning, the pair made bizarre claims that investigators compared to the plot of the horror film “The Visit.”
According to search warrant documents, Jacob told authorities that “the spirits stated grandpa opened the well up behind the house and the spirits killed him.” The outlandish explanation did little to convince detectives, who continued building their case.
Prosecutors revealed that Jacob admitted to shooting his grandfather twice. The second shot, according to court documents, was fired at his mother’s urging “to make sure that he was dead.”
Prosecutor Dan Helmer agreed to the plea deal after learning that Iowa police failed to honor Jacob’s request for legal representation during initial questioning, potentially complicating the prosecution’s case.
Margaret Kempainen awaits trial on murder and conspiracy charges. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killing beyond the strange supernatural claims made by the defendants.
