Jacob Kempainen has pleaded guilty to reduced charges for his role in the death of his grandfather.
Alvin Kempainen was murdered in his home on December 18, 2023.
Jacob, 22, and his mother, Margaret Kempainen, were charged with the crime.
Under the agreement, Jacob pleaded guilty this afternoon to a charge of second-degree murder, which carries a minimum 15-year prison sentence. Open murder and conspiracy charges were dropped, along with a weapons charge.
Houghton County Prosecutor Dan Helmer said the agreement also requires Jacob to cooperate with investigators, and testify truthfully in his mother’s trial.
Helmer said the agreement came after lengthy discussions with investigators and members of Alvin Kempainen’s family.
He also noted that the case against Jacob had been weakened because police who arrested him in Iowa violated his Miranda rights. The statement he made at that time, which would have been an important part of the prosecution, was suppressed.
Jacob Kempainen will be sentenced at a later date by 12th Circuit Judge Brittany Bulleit.
Helmer expressed frustration at the slow pace of the separate case against Margaret Kempainen, who has not been offered a plea deal. Her trial was scheduled to begin in January, but was recently delayed again so her attorneys could appeal some recent rulings. “The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office and I share the frustration of the family, and I am sure the general public, in how long this case is taking to proceed to trial,” Helmer said. “I am, and have been, ready, willing, and able to present this case to a jury and seek justice for Alvin Kempainen and his family.”
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