Justice Served: Man Sentenced for Murder of 87-Year-Old Grandfather

A young man from Michigan has been sentenced to several decades behind bars for the tragic killing of his grandfather, an 87-year-old man, in his own residence. The 22-year-old, who attempted to justify the heinous act by claiming his grandfather was under the influence of “spirits,” has faced the court’s judgment.

On Monday, Judge Brittany A. Bulleit of the Houghton County Circuit Court mandated that Jacob Kempainen serve a prison term ranging from 15 to 50 years for the murder of Alvin Kempainen, according to court documents. This sentencing followed Kempainen’s agreement with prosecutors, where he admitted guilt to an open murder charge. Consequently, the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and felony firearm possession were dismissed.

In addition to Jacob, his mother, Margaret Kempainen, who is also the daughter-in-law of the deceased, faces murder charges related to Alvin Kempainen’s death.

Investigators revealed that Jacob and his mother, residents of Wisconsin, traveled to Michigan, allegedly committed the murder, and were subsequently apprehended in Iowa.

As previously covered by Law&Crime, the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a wellness check request at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. The call led them to a home located in the 53000 block of Salo Road, not far from the shores of Lake Superior.

Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they found Alvin Kempainen suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators were able to quickly identify Margaret and Jacob Kempainen as potential suspects in the fatal shooting, according to a report from Marquette, Michigan, NBC and Fox affiliate WLUC. They were reportedly located in Minnesota, driving south on Interstate 35 toward Iowa. Authorities contacted the Clear Lake, Iowa, police department and officers were able to apprehend the duo when they stopped at a local gas station.

Additional details about the investigation were revealed in court documents obtained by Minneapolis-based online news site, Bring Me the News.

According to the report, authorities in Minnesota executed a search warrant on Jacob Kempainen’s Minneapolis apartment in connection with the murder investigation.

The warrant reportedly states Margaret Kempainen’s husband, who is also Jacob Kempainen’s father, told authorities that on Dec. 7, 2023, his family left him in Wisconsin and had not contacted him since leaving. However, he told authorities that after seeing a debit card transaction in Bruce Crossing, Michigan, he believed his family was traveling to his father’s home to “get money,” leading him to fear the older man was in trouble.

Alvin Kempainen reportedly texted his son at 9 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2023, 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.

Following the arrests, Margaret Kempainen allegedly told police that her son was the one who killed Alvin Kempainen, but both suspects reportedly made numerous outlandish claims about the circumstances of the shooting.

For example, Jacob Kempainen allegedly told police that when they arrived at Alvin Kempainen’s home, they believed the 87-year-old had already been killed by malevolent spirits and that the individual in the home was “not grandpa.”

“[Jacob Kempainen] advised that the spirits stated grandpa opened the well up behind the house and the spirits killed him,” the search warrant reportedly states.

Similarly, Margaret Kempainen reportedly said that Alvin Kempainen was “not her father-in-law,” claiming that he had been moving around “like a 20-year-old.”

Per the report, investigators even noted that the mother and son’s stories were eerily similar to the events in M. Night Shyamalan’s film “The Visit.”

The search warrant reportedly states that Minnesota authorities were authorized to seize any “evidence of paranormal activity, spirits, possession of bodies including but not limited to the 2015 movie ‘The Visit.’”

Margaret Kempainen remains incarcerated without bond. A date for her trial had not been scheduled as of Monday.