Jacob Kempainen of Wisconsin, last week pled guilty in Houghton County, Michigan, to second-degree murder in the death of Alvin Kempainen, 87

As per the plea arrengement Jacob will cooperate and testify against his co-defendant, his mother Margaret Kempainen

The mother has not been offered a plea deal, as prosecutors seek a conviction against her

Jacob Kempainen, 22, initially claimed evil spirits killed his grandfather before recanting, he will be sentenced within the next three months

Margaret Kempainen, 50, not claimed the victim was not her father-in-law, but told cops her son Jacob did the killing

Margaret is scheduled to have a jury trial in January 2026

Jacob Kempainen, [[photo],22, pled guilty this week in Houghton County, Michigan, court to second-degree murder in the death of Alvin Kempainen. Jacob and his mother Margaret Kempainen, each was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder his grandfather

The two year prosecution of a Wisconsin man accused of killing his octogenarian grandfather with the help of his mother inside the older man’s home ended with his admitting culpability in a plea deal.
Former University of Minnesota student, Jacob Kempaine this week pled guilty in Houghton County, Michigan, court to second-degree murder in the death of 87-year-old Alvin Kempainen. As part of the arrengement, an open charge of murder, as well as a conspiracy and firearm charges were dismissed.
The minimum sentencing agreement, Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Helmer says there is a will not exceed 15 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections.
In return Jacob Kempainen, 22, is required to cooperate and testify truthfully against his co-defendant and mother, Margaret Kempainen, 50, who has not been offered a plea deal.

At initial interview the the defendants directed investigators search for “evidence of paranormal activity.”
On Dec. 7, 2023, the defendant, then 20-year-old Jacob and his mother Margaret Kempainen allegedly, traveled from their home in Wisconsin to the home of his grandfather Alvin Kempainen, in Michigan.
Margaret’s husband – Jacob Kempainen’s father – told authorities that he saw a debit card transaction in Bruce Crossing, Michigan, and believed his family was traveling to his father’s home to “get money,” according to local media reports.
The husband feared that his father was in trouble.
Days later, Alvin Kempainen allegedly texted his son that the family – which he referred to as “the crew”- had just arrived at his home. He then stopped responding to additional messages and calls from his son.
Deputies with the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office were called out to conduct a wellness check at Alvin Kempainen’s home in Hancock Township, a few miles south of Lake Superior, on arrival around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, found the elderly homeowner suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police identified Margaret Kempainen, [photo], and her son Jacob as potential suspects in the fatal shooting of her father-in-law. They pair reportedly, were arrested driving south toward Iowa after cops in Michigan had called ahead of the fleeing suspects

Identified as potential suspects in the fatal shooting, authorities used license plate readers, surveillance footage and debit card transaction data to begin tracing Jacob and Margaret’s path to and from the subsequently discovered murder scene. Mother and Son were arrested that same day heading south on Interstate 35, toward Iowa.
Authorities in Michigan reportedly, contacted local law enforcement. Officers took the mother and son duo into custody when they stopped at a gas station. When interviewed, the pair cops said, had disparate and bizarre recollections of events.
Jacob Kempainen allegedly told police that when they arrived at Alvin Kempainen’s home, his granddad had already been killed by malevolent spirits and that the individual in the home was “not grandpa.”
“(Jacob) advised that the spirits stated grandpa opened the well up behind the house and the spirits killed him,” a search warrant reportedly stated.
Margaret Kempainen in her version claimed Alvin Kempainen was “not her father-in-law,” as she told her interviewers that person had been moving around “like a 20-year-old.”
While Margaret Kempainen allegedly told police her son pulled the trigger on Alvin Kempainen.Jacob Jacob and Margaret Kempainen, each was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to murder.
At his plea hearing, Jacob stated that he had driven to Alvin’s house in Hancock Township with his mother and his sister. Once there Jacob admitted, he shot Alvin his grandfather and, after encouragement from his mother, shot Alvin again.
With the plea deal, prosecutors signaled their priority is securing a conviction against the victim’s daughter-in-law: “The Michigan Supreme Court recently found, inexplicably, that automatic life without parole sentences for 20-year-olds are unconstitutional,” Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Helmer said.
“Jacob was 20 at the time of the murder and that decision took away a lot of the leverage my office had in plea negotiations. Another strong factor in this plea offer was doing whatever I can to secure a conviction against Jacob’s mother, Margaret Kempainen, for her role in this horrible crime – no plea offer has been extended to her.”
Jacob Kempainen will reportedly be sentenced within the next three months. Margaret Kempainen is scheduled to have a jury trial next month.