Lucio Franco

Background

Lucio Franco was 24 years old. His wife was 21-year-old Maria Franco. Lucio Franco and Maria Franco had four children. The children were identified as 5-year-old Lucio Franco Jr., 4-year-old Diana, 2-year-old Juana, and 10-month-old Isaac.

Relatives told authorities that Lucio Franco was prone to violence and had been beating on Maria Franco for a long time. A sheriff’s investigator, Tony Galloway, quoted a relative saying: “If she's dead, he did it,” and said he asked whether there was any possibility it could be someone other than the husband; the relatives responded, “No, he'd been beating on her, and that this had been happening for a long time.”

Sheriff Kent Henson said the shootings may have been prompted by marital problems.

The offence

Lucio Franco shot his wife and their four children to death with a shotgun. He then shot himself in the head.

The killings occurred Tuesday morning, and the bodies were discovered on Wednesday night. Pedro Sanchez, a neighbor, called police after not seeing the family for two days. After knocking on the door, Sanchez and his daughter peered through a window in the Franco home and observed a body on the floor; returning with a flashlight, Sanchez said he confirmed it was his friend and reported the scene at 9 p.m.

Police said an apparent murder-suicide occurred in the family’s mobile home in a rural area about 10 miles east of Lufkin. Lufkin was described as about 115 miles northeast of Houston.

Jim Casper, Angelina County Chief Deputy Sheriff, stated that interviews indicated the couple had ongoing marital and financial problems that may have been a motive for the shootings. Casper also said he believed the case was consistent with a murder-suicide, and said “the husband's wound and position of his gun also indicated he killed himself.” Casper added that the case was closed unless some extraordinary evidence presented itself.

Investigation

Jim Casper said the case was consistent with a murder-suicide, and added that the husband’s wound and the position of his gun indicated he killed himself. Casper also said the case was closed unless some extraordinary evidence presents itself.

Officials said an autopsy was performed Thursday afternoon on Lucio Franco to determine if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Other details

Neighbour observations and assistance

Despite reports of spousal abuse from relatives, deputies said they never had been dispatched to the Franco home before.

Pedro Sanchez, the neighbor who discovered the shootings, said he wasn’t aware of severe problems. Sanchez stated: “It's hard to understand what motivated him or what made him do something like this,” and “He wasn't aggressive or violent.”

Sanchez described running an electrical extension cord to the Francos, two trailers down, after their power was cut when Franco wasn’t getting enough roofing work. Sanchez also said that when the family’s gas service was cut, he allowed them to bathe at his place. Sanchez said his teen daughter Nancy often baby-sat the children.

Sanchez said the last time he saw the Francos was Monday night, when he said the father showed concern for a throat infection his baby was suffering.

Mendy Bishop lived across the street from the Francos and said that although she didn’t know them too well, they seemed like a happy family. Bishop stated: “At night, you could hear their kids playing as (Franco and his wife) sat outside watching them,” and added: “Lucio Franco Sr. 24; Lucio Jr., 5; Maria, 21; Isaac, 10 months; Diana, 4; and Juana, 2.”

School and community response

Jesus Gomez, principal at Lucio Jr.'s school, said the parents regularly attended parent-teacher conferences and seemed very interested in their son’s well-being and progress. Gomez stated: “Lucio was very affectionate toward his dad,” and said: “This is a very somber time here,” and “It's a shocker for all of us when a child is killed. We'll do what we can to cope, and hopefully we can all get through this.”

The Lufkin school district dispatched several counselors to the Garrett campus. Jesus Gomez stated: “This is a very somber time here,” and “It's a shocker for all of us when a child is killed.

Work and finances described by neighbours

Lucio Franco’s work as a roofer was described as sporadic, and the family fell on hard times. Sanchez said he tried to help his friend anyway possible. Sanchez said he snaked a white electrical extension cord to the Francos after their power was cut off in December and that the Sanchezes often baby-sat the Francos’ four children while Franco and his wife worked.

A description of the Francos’ front yard included a swing set and various toys strewn about the grass and a beat up Chevy Caprice Classic resting on wooden blocks in the driveway.

Neighbour account of conflict or lack of conflict

Sanchez said he never saw any problems between Franco and his wife and stated: “He was a good person. He wasn't aggressive. We never heard them fight.”

Sanchez said he had talked with Franco about problems with paying bills. Sanchez stated: “This is something you just can't comprehend,” and “We talked about problems with paying bills, just like everyone. But he never showed signs the problems weighed him down.”

Maria Franco’s employment

Naomi Baker, manager at a nearby Dairy Queen, said Maria Franco worked as the manager’s first assistant for at least a year and a half but had recently turned in her resignation because her husband wanted her to quit. Baker stated: “She was very easygoing, and she loved her kids,” and “She was just a very well-liked person. I'm still kind of numb.”

Gunshots in the area

Police said neighbors in the trailer park, a 90-home subdivision dotted with litter and disabled vehicles, did not report hearing gunshots Tuesday morning. Casper added that gunfire in the surrounding woods is common.

Timeline

• Tuesday morning — Lucio Franco shot his wife and their four children to death with a shotgun in their mobile home, then shot himself in the head.
• Monday night — Pedro Sanchez saw Lucio Franco and said Franco showed concern for a throat infection his baby was suffering.
• Wednesday night (9 p.m.) — A neighbor, Pedro Sanchez, called police after not seeing the family for two days; Sanchez reported the scene at 9 p.m. after viewing a body through a window.
• Thursday afternoon — An autopsy was performed on Lucio Franco to determine if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.