Murder In The Rain

Michael, 42, was a former prosecutor and judge, chosen as Director of the Oregon Department of Corrections in 1987. On January 17, 1989, the night before he was to speak to the Oregon Senate about corruption he’d discovered, he was stabbed to death.
Officials refused the theory that this had been a move to silence Michael, instead insisting he had been the victim of a car burglary. In 1991, 29-year-old petty criminal Frank Gable was railroaded into a no-parole life sentence for Michael Francke's murder. He spent the next 28 years incarcerated. 
In 2019, Gable's conviction was overturned, and he was exonerated, receiving a settlement of 1.9 million dollars, paid by the State of Oregon. This was after a federal appellate court found "significant investigative misconduct" by the State, as well as the exclusion of crucial evidence indicating another suspect in the murder.
Now, almost 40 years after Michael Francke's murder, his unknown killer or killers remain free, and local journalist Phil Stanford has written a book about the murder, the wrongful conviction, and how Michael’s brother, Kevin, has been fighting for justice for all these years. “Who Killed Michael Francke- and How They Got Away with It” is available now. We will be interviewing Phil Stanford on the Murder in the Rain Podcast to discuss this case for an upcoming episode. 
While Michael Francke's murder remains unsolved, there doesn’t seem to be a specific agency handling the case. The Oregon State Police, in fact, has refused to reopen the investigation, which they initially led in 1991.
If you have any information about Michael Franke’s murder on January 17, 1989, OregonCrimestoppers.org would be a good place to start, or you can email us at Murderintherain@gmail.com, and we can connect you with the case’s expert, Phil Stanford. 
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In this episode, Josh interviews journalist and author, Phil Stanford, about the infamous Michael Francke murder case. Why has no one been charged when it seems everyone knows who's to blame?
Who Killed Michael Francke? - 1989 | KATU In The Archives - Phil Stanford Oregonian 1990 ad - DESTINY KEPT THE APPOINTMENT 2.8.89 - Michael Francke - Unsolved Mysteries - Portraits of guilt : the woman who profiles the faces of America's deadliest criminals : Boylan, Jeanne : Internet Archive - Unsolved Mysteries: The Michael Francke Case Explained | TikTok - Without Evidence | Angelina Jolie | YouTube - https://www.statesmanjournal.com/picture-gallery/news/2019/04/19/photos-through-years-michael-francke-murder/3520300002/

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A few weeks ago, we had a booth at Troutdale’s First Friday. I love being a booth bitch, Josh loves….helping me. 
While we’ve always had a good time at the bigger events, like CrimeCon, it was SO much fun speaking with our neighbors, talking about true crime. What was surprising, but shouldn’t have been, was how many people mentioned cases I had never heard of! Names and stories were coming at us left and right. 
It was during one of these conversations, with new friend of the show, Jill, we learned about a disturbing case I was shocked had never been on my radar. She asked if we knew about the young girl who had been thrown off a cliff into the Clackamas River. We hadn’t, and it piqued my interest. 
When I was first researching the case, I wasn’t sure there would be enough for an entire episode. Then, I kept pulling the thread and it led me down an unexpected path. What I thought would be a case about a young woman’s murder, led me to her heartbreaking background: which included another murder and a devastated mother left houseless. This is the story of the Spicer family.
Photos and links to interviews and the GoFundMe are on our blog.
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The Oregonian Oct 9 1989- Stabbing, fall killed woman - Elderly and evicted: One Gresham woman's struggle - Elderly and evicted: Donna still looking for new home -Evicted elderly woman finds new apartment - Deborah Sue Spicer (1962-1989) - Find a Grave Memorial - State v. Bockorny :: 1993 :: Oregon Court of Appeals Decisions - State v. Bockorny - The Oregonian April 10 1991 - Tearful defendant says husband forced her to assault woman - The Oregonian- Feb. 21 1991 County Jury Rejects Death Sentence  - Green Bay Press Gazette- Oct. 27 1989Oregon murder suspects arrested here - The Evening Telegram October 28 1989- Couple held in Oregon slaying - The Oregonian Feb. 12 1991- Bockorny found guilty in death - The Oregonian April 13 1991- Debra Bockrony guilty of murdering woman - The Oregonian April 3 1991- Woman told to stab, lawyer says - The Oregonian Oct. 27 1989- Man, Wife arrested in cliff death - The Oregonian June 6 1990- Legal issues delay couple's trial in killing of Gresham woman - The Oregonian- July 11 1990 Judge okays separate death trials - Debbie Spicer's last double - Wausau Daily Herald June 13 1973- Marathon County Court - Wausau Daily Herald June 15 1973 Serviceman is charged - Wausau Daily Herald June 18 1973 Bound over for trial - Wausau Daily Herald July 2 1973- Two plead innocent - Daily Citizen Feb. 11 1978- 10 Inmates Arraigned - The Bulletin Oct. 17 1989 Coule sought in woman's death - Daily Citizen April 7 - 1979 Fines given, hearings set in county court - The Oshkosh Northwestern Nov. 25 1980- Institute escape reported - The Oregonian Oct. 17 1989- Police hunt couple in killing of woman - Gresham High School 1978 - Baker City Herald Oct. 9 1989 Fishermen watch as body is dumped in river - The Bulletin Oct. 9 1989 Woman stabbed before cliff plunge - East Oregonian Oct. 9 1989 woman's body hurled off cliff - The Oregonian Oct. 10 1989- Police hunt 2 in woman's cliffside killing - The Sunday Oregonian Aug 9 1998- Prortland man shot in front of house of ex-girlfriend - STATE v. McCORMICK (2002) - Oregon - Green Bay Press Gazette Nov. 21 1989- Man fights extradition to Oregon - The Register Guard Dec 30 1989- Innocent Plea Entered in Slaying - Newspapers.com The Oregonian Aug. 15 1998 - The Oregonian - Aug. 13 2017- Change the trajectory of our youth's lives - Fundraiser for Rhonda Banks by Danetta Banks : Lamar Horsley- Hospital-Expenses - Pair get prison in shooting of Gresham boy, 9, and his mother - oregonlive.com - Brutal gang shooting costs 9-year-old his eye, haunts investigators: Tom Hallman - oregonlive.com - Boy, mother hurt in targeted Gresham shooting - Oregon Offender Search - Newspapers.com The Oregonian April 18 1991- Brockorny gets life without parole - Oregon Metro- Donna Spicer - The Oregonian May 20 1999 - STATE v. McCORMICK (2002) - Oregon

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The word Vendetta originated in Italy and was related to clan-based feuds. The meaning expanded to acts committed in a feud before eventually meaning a prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts. Going back further, Vendetta traces back to the Latin verb “vindicta,” meaning vindication or revenge. So it comes as little surprise to learn the antagonist in today’s case was named Donald Vandetta. He didn’t care that his victim, Susan Reed, was with someone else or had told him she wanted to end things. He couldn’t see past his own wants and desires. Leading to a catastrophic outcome. 
A few months back, we received an email from listener Sarah. I’ll skip the compliments; while they are appreciated, anyone who knows me knows that’s not my love language. What she told me was that her great-aunt Phillis’ daughter Susan had been murdered in 1987 near a rail yard. Phyllis eventually passed, taking the information she knew about the case with her. 
Phyllis had attended the parole hearings for her daughter’s killer to make sure he stayed behind bars. Since Sarah wasn’t privy to case details, she wanted to carry the torch for Susan, but she didn’t have enough information to do so. 
I’ve since received the police reports about this case. While at first this appeared to be a lover scorned in an “if I can’t have you no one will” type of jealous rage, the investigation revealed much more. Susan sought help from friends and authorities. She tried to protect herself by asking for support. She told Donald no over and over again. Still, nothing could stop this man on his green-with-envy path of destruction.

Full Police Report PDF - Classmates - Vandetta Yearbook - Classmates- Susan Yearbook - Sunday Oregonian Obituaries- Nov. 8 1987 - East Oregonian Nov. 6 1987- Portland records another homicide - The Oregonian March 16 1988 - Vancouver man convicted of murder in death of ex-girlfriend

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Hey! It’s update time! We’ll share our return from break date and some other show business. We finally have news about Cameron Hooker’s case, an update to Aron Christensen’s case, Seattle had to settle a suit, as did Oregon. I’ll chat a little about Camp Erin, and of course we’ll visit Josh’s Library Corner and Hot Streamers, so let’s get on with it!

Trial considers fate of 'girl in the box' kidnapper Cameron Hooker as jurors weigh predator status - San Mateo Co.: Hearing Begins To Keep Parole-Eligible Sexually Violent Predator Civilly Committed - Tehama DA says community can breathe easier after Cameron Hooker release blocked - Family requests investigations into death of Aron Christensen - The Daily ChronicleSeattle pays $2.6M to settle sexual harassment claims against ex-chief - Oregon to pay $800K to man wrongfully convicted of murder in 1980s - oregonlive.com

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Welcome to Murder in the Rain and to our update for June of 2026! Today we’ll be talking about a phone scam, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, some info about the show this summer, updates to our Street Kids episode & a wildlife sanctuary, and of course Josh’s Library Corner and Hot streamers. Let’s get on with it!
No sheriff's office will ever call to demand payment - Parole denied for man convicted in Portland ‘street family’ killing - Convicted for a shocking Portland murder, he’s now asking Oregon to free him - Owner of Oregon wildlife park pleads guilty to more than 40 charges of animal neglect

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