OR OR - DOC chief James 'Michael' Francke, 42, Salem, 17 Jan 1989
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FreeFrankGable
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See, you're not as ignorant as you claim to be. Smiling while I write that.
FreeFrankGable
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Jan. 17, 1989 - Twenty-one years ago today Michael Francke, 42, is stabbed to death in the parking lot outside his Dome Building office on the state hospital grounds, 2575 Center St. NE, Salem. Oregon. Will true justice ever prevail? Will the truth of what really happened that cold January night ever be discovered?
On this, perhaps the most somber day of the year for me, I'm at a loss for words to say more. I'll leave that for anyone else who wishes to take a few minutes to express their thoughts.
On this, perhaps the most somber day of the year for me, I'm at a loss for words to say more. I'll leave that for anyone else who wishes to take a few minutes to express their thoughts.
FreeFrankGable
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Michael Francke, 42, is stabbed to death in the parking lot outside his Dome Building office on the state hospital grounds, 2575 Center St. NE, Salem. Oregon.
FreeFrankGable
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About 12:40 am, security guard Stephen Rubino discovers Franckes body on a porch of the Dome Building.
Francke apparently had tried to gain access to the building by punching out a pane of glass in the porch door. His keys and glasses were several feet away from his feet.
At about 10am., District Attorney Dale Penn of Marion County, whose office is in charge of the investigation, says no weapon has been found and there are no suspects.
Dr. Larry Lewman, the state medical examiner, says Francke was killed by a stab wound to the heart. He says there were other internal and external injuries but refuses to elaborate at the request of investigators.
Although the information is not released to the public until a year later, Francke was stabbed once through his heart and once through the bicep on his left arm; he had cuts and bruises on his hands, arms, head and face as well.
A group of corrections officers, who had been interviewed by the Statesman Journal since December about drug trafficking and working conditions at the Oregon State Penitentiary, call the newspaper within hours of Penns press conference announcing the murder.
We think we know who killed Mr. Francke, a spokesman for the group says. The officer names the penitentiary official they had been accusing of running the prison drug trafficking.
The officers have no proof of their contentions. But they are just the first of dozens of people, who over the next two years will contend that there is a connection between the murder and the corruption in the department.
Franckes wife, Bingta, his two brothers, Patrick and Kevin, and Kevins wife, Katie, later contend that they were told conflicting stories by Peterson, who was second in command at the Corrections Department.
Peterson tells them that he left the building after Francke and discovered Franckes car door open. He says he then paged Francke and began a meticulous search of the building and grounds, according to the family. He told them that he left when he couldnt find Francke.
The family later learns that the open car door was discovered by two women employees and that Peterson told police that he left before Francke and returned to look for him that night with Dave Caulley.
Peterson, who retired in 1990, as with most other Corrections Department officials, has refused to comment about the case.
The apparently contradictory stories raise initial suspicions in the Francke family that they are not being told the truth by corrections, police and the district attorneys office officials.
Kevin Francke insists that Penn and the state police were told of the murders possible connection to his brother's department in the first few days after the murder; Penn says he didnt learn of the accusation until it appeared in the press months later.
Francke apparently had tried to gain access to the building by punching out a pane of glass in the porch door. His keys and glasses were several feet away from his feet.
At about 10am., District Attorney Dale Penn of Marion County, whose office is in charge of the investigation, says no weapon has been found and there are no suspects.
Dr. Larry Lewman, the state medical examiner, says Francke was killed by a stab wound to the heart. He says there were other internal and external injuries but refuses to elaborate at the request of investigators.
Although the information is not released to the public until a year later, Francke was stabbed once through his heart and once through the bicep on his left arm; he had cuts and bruises on his hands, arms, head and face as well.
A group of corrections officers, who had been interviewed by the Statesman Journal since December about drug trafficking and working conditions at the Oregon State Penitentiary, call the newspaper within hours of Penns press conference announcing the murder.
We think we know who killed Mr. Francke, a spokesman for the group says. The officer names the penitentiary official they had been accusing of running the prison drug trafficking.
The officers have no proof of their contentions. But they are just the first of dozens of people, who over the next two years will contend that there is a connection between the murder and the corruption in the department.
Franckes wife, Bingta, his two brothers, Patrick and Kevin, and Kevins wife, Katie, later contend that they were told conflicting stories by Peterson, who was second in command at the Corrections Department.
Peterson tells them that he left the building after Francke and discovered Franckes car door open. He says he then paged Francke and began a meticulous search of the building and grounds, according to the family. He told them that he left when he couldnt find Francke.
The family later learns that the open car door was discovered by two women employees and that Peterson told police that he left before Francke and returned to look for him that night with Dave Caulley.
Peterson, who retired in 1990, as with most other Corrections Department officials, has refused to comment about the case.
The apparently contradictory stories raise initial suspicions in the Francke family that they are not being told the truth by corrections, police and the district attorneys office officials.
Kevin Francke insists that Penn and the state police were told of the murders possible connection to his brother's department in the first few days after the murder; Penn says he didnt learn of the accusation until it appeared in the press months later.
Angels_Not_Forgotten
Anxiously Awaiting a WINNING NFL Season!
THanks. That's why it's all so confusing I guess...I mean...there is SO MUCH going on how could they possibly know who committed the murder?! ahhh, anyways...not sure what I can help with, I honestly have no idea if he's innocent, i'm just not sure if he's guilty. To many other people with motives and questions...Thanks for all of the information. Your website really is incredible.
FreeFrankGable
New Member
Jan. 19 - State police receive more than 50 telephone calls with information about the case. Fifteen to 20 investigators are assigned to the case, most of them state police.
Penn says the two primary motives being investigated are robbery and a possible plot by someone involved in the corrections process in New Mexico or Oregon. Franckes watch, pager, car keys and wallet were found on his body; his office keys were found near the body.
Jan. 20 - Johnny L. Crouse, 31, a paroled inmate of the Oregon State Penitentiary, is interviewed by the Statesman Journal about the difficulties ex-cons have in returning to society. During the interview he says that he thinks the Francke killing was an outside hit or contract job by someone paid a lot of money.
Murder is the easiest crime to get away with, he said, although his comments about Francke were not used in the story.
Jan. 21 - Parole officer Lowell Kester tells police that a man followed him from the Dome Building to his car on the evening of Jan. 17. Kester described the man as a little more than six feet tall, 185 pounds, wearing a grey mid-length jacket and dark pants.
Jan. 24 - Police investigators release a sketchy description of a dark-haired man suspected of killing Francke. The man, seen running from the parking lot, is described as wearing dark pants and a light-colored coat that extended below his waist. Penn refuses to disclose many details about the attack, saying it will help investigators differentiate between real information and crank calls.
Jan. 25 - Investigators interview state hospital patients and employees, including Janyne Gable, who is the wife of Frank E. Gable and who works as a nurse at the hospital.
There are 25 state investigators working on the case.
Jan. 26 - Patrick Francke of Lenexa, Kansas, tells the media that the family doesnt believe the robbery theory.
Of course they don't. Do you?
Penn says the two primary motives being investigated are robbery and a possible plot by someone involved in the corrections process in New Mexico or Oregon. Franckes watch, pager, car keys and wallet were found on his body; his office keys were found near the body.
Jan. 20 - Johnny L. Crouse, 31, a paroled inmate of the Oregon State Penitentiary, is interviewed by the Statesman Journal about the difficulties ex-cons have in returning to society. During the interview he says that he thinks the Francke killing was an outside hit or contract job by someone paid a lot of money.
Murder is the easiest crime to get away with, he said, although his comments about Francke were not used in the story.
Jan. 21 - Parole officer Lowell Kester tells police that a man followed him from the Dome Building to his car on the evening of Jan. 17. Kester described the man as a little more than six feet tall, 185 pounds, wearing a grey mid-length jacket and dark pants.
Jan. 24 - Police investigators release a sketchy description of a dark-haired man suspected of killing Francke. The man, seen running from the parking lot, is described as wearing dark pants and a light-colored coat that extended below his waist. Penn refuses to disclose many details about the attack, saying it will help investigators differentiate between real information and crank calls.
Jan. 25 - Investigators interview state hospital patients and employees, including Janyne Gable, who is the wife of Frank E. Gable and who works as a nurse at the hospital.
There are 25 state investigators working on the case.
Jan. 26 - Patrick Francke of Lenexa, Kansas, tells the media that the family doesnt believe the robbery theory.
Of course they don't. Do you?
FreeFrankGable
New Member
On Dec. 9, 2009, Kevin Francke posted in a thread at this website regarding the murder of federal public defender Nancy Bergeson. Comments had been made relating to the murder of his brother Michael, the Oregon Corrections director murdered on Jan. 17, 1989. Kevin's post is as follows...
"There are a number of articles, websites etc. that have info on my brother's murder; perhaps the most comprehensive is www.freefrankgable.com. It contains much information that I provided to the webmeister, as well as his own material, and his own diatribes for and against many people for no reason or for good reason, depending on his mood. A google of Michael Francke or Frank Gable, will also give you a lot of hits for more info.
Again, I will avail myself to anyone who has spent some hours researching and needs some additional information of a push in the right direction.
Merry Christmas to all, and hope and pray for a better and happy New Year for everyone, especially our troops."
Kevin Francke
So Kevin will avail himself to anyone who has spent some hours researching and needs some additional information of a push in the right direction, huh? And he refers to my website as being the most comprehensive archive of info on the case.
I replied to Kevin's post and sent him an email asking if five years was enough hours. Explained I wanted additional info and a push in the right direction. Still waiting for a response.
Does that make sense to any of you?
"There are a number of articles, websites etc. that have info on my brother's murder; perhaps the most comprehensive is www.freefrankgable.com. It contains much information that I provided to the webmeister, as well as his own material, and his own diatribes for and against many people for no reason or for good reason, depending on his mood. A google of Michael Francke or Frank Gable, will also give you a lot of hits for more info.
Again, I will avail myself to anyone who has spent some hours researching and needs some additional information of a push in the right direction.
Merry Christmas to all, and hope and pray for a better and happy New Year for everyone, especially our troops."
Kevin Francke
So Kevin will avail himself to anyone who has spent some hours researching and needs some additional information of a push in the right direction, huh? And he refers to my website as being the most comprehensive archive of info on the case.
I replied to Kevin's post and sent him an email asking if five years was enough hours. Explained I wanted additional info and a push in the right direction. Still waiting for a response.
Does that make sense to any of you?
FunkyMonkey
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Just heard this case on the True Crime Garage podcast. So many twists and turns.
Toodles5000
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I've been binge watching the old Unsolved Mysteries program and saw the segment on this the other night. I hadn't heard of this case so wanted to check to see if there was a thread here and I see it's mostly gone silent.
In 2019, Gable was released from prison pending a retrial. In Feb, 2022 the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether he should be sent back to jail but I was unable to find anything about a ruling being made so I assume he is still free?
pamplinmedia.com
Also in 2019, Portland news station KOIN released this interactive report called Broken Dome and there is a podcast as well which I plan on checking out.
www.koin.com
I also found this photo gallery which doesn't really go into much detail but has some pictures of Francke's brothers visiting the Dome building where their brother was murdered.
www.oregonlive.com
In 2019, Gable was released from prison pending a retrial. In Feb, 2022 the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether he should be sent back to jail but I was unable to find anything about a ruling being made so I assume he is still free?
Oregon tries to re-jail Gable on Monday
UPDATE: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments in the long-running case on Feb. 7.
Also in 2019, Portland news station KOIN released this interactive report called Broken Dome and there is a podcast as well which I plan on checking out.
Broken Dome
On a frigid winter night 30 years ago… Just after midnight on the morning of Jan. 18, 1989, a security guard stumbled upon a terrible scene on the steps of the Dome Building in Salem, the hea…
www.koin.com
KOIN Vault: Broken Dome Episode 1: A STATE OFFICIAL SLAIN on Apple Podcasts
Show KOIN Vault, Ep Broken Dome Episode 1: A STATE OFFICIAL SLAIN - Sep 12, 2019
podcasts.apple.com
I also found this photo gallery which doesn't really go into much detail but has some pictures of Francke's brothers visiting the Dome building where their brother was murdered.
Kevin and Patrick Francke,, brothers of slain Oregon prisons chief Michael Francke, want the man convicted in Michael's death released from prison. But they're divided on what they want to happen next.
Kevin and Patrick Francke,, brothers of slain Oregon prisons chief Michael Francke, want the man convicted in Michael's death released from prison. But they're divided on what they want to happen next.
annemc2
her name is Suzanne Marie Sevakis
@Toodles5000 I had never heard of it either! What a wild ride. Thanks for those links - I'm going to do some reading about this later for sure.
Watching old UM takes me waaay back. First when I was a kid and would get creeped out by that intro music then later when my firstborn would nap and I'd watch the re-runs that were on Lifetime. I'm thinking gosh, Francke was only 42!!
Watching old UM takes me waaay back. First when I was a kid and would get creeped out by that intro music then later when my firstborn would nap and I'd watch the re-runs that were on Lifetime. I'm thinking gosh, Francke was only 42!!