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Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jodilyn Erikson-Muldrew said that now that Franco is medically able to face criminal charges, she plans to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law for Kay Langford’s homicide.
Langford’s friends and family and others in the courtroom saw Franco via a two-way video monitor set up at the Thurston County Jail where inmates typically appear for their preliminary hearings.
“They need closure,” Erikson-Muldrew said of Langford’s family and friends.
Erikson-Muldrew said sheriff’s deputies arrested Franco, 54, on Friday at the Park Ridge Skilled Nursing Center in Shoreline. Franco was recovering from his injuries there under a court order that required him to face his criminal charges as soon as he was no longer medically incapacitated.
Franco is charged with first-degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon during an act of domestic violence, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, second- degree assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a short-barrelled shotgun.
Franco was supposed to be arraigned during Monday’s court hearing, but the public defender appearing on his behalf, James Shackleton, said the office wants to talk to Franco first, to see if he needs a competency evaluation to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.
“I think there might be some issues with his competency to proceed,” Shackleton said.
A letter sent to Erikson-Muldrew from a nurse at Park Ridge dated Feb. 19 addresses only Franco’s medical condition. “Mr. Franco has participated in therapy and has improved his ability to care for himself with minimal assistance,” reads part of the letter. “Mr. Franco can communicate verbally, it is difficult to understand his speech, so he uses gestures to help get his thoughts across.” The letter is part of the court record.
Franco is accused of chasing down and fatally shooting Langford on Sept. 24, soon after she was dropped off at work at the cider mill. At the time of her death, Langford had a new boyfriend whom she worked with at the cider mill.
Jaymie Nelson, who dropped Langford off for work that day, said Langford was as happy as she had ever been after meeting her new boyfriend. “At the end, she was very happy,” Nelson said. “She had a smile on her face every day that she was with him.”
The night before the homicide, Franco had told the boyfriend of another employee at the cider mill that he would kill Langford and her new boyfriend, then commit suicide, court papers state.
Langford’s stepdaughter Caprice Wilson and other family members at Monday’s court hearing said Langford’s death could have been prevented if that witness had come forward – if not to police, then even to warn Kay about Franco’s intentions. “It could have been a preventable situation,” said Langford’s niece Casey Langford.
Erikson-Muldrew said the information about Franco saying he planned to commit the homicide beforehand is under review in her office. According to court papers, Franco showed the boyfriend of the cider mill employee how he had sawed off his shotgun and took target practice in front of him the night before the homicide.
Nelson and Wilson said Franco was possessive and jealous of Langford, even when she wanted to spend time alone with her girlfriends.
Erikson-Muldrew said in court Monday that there were three eyewitnesses to the crime, including 77-year-old Carolyn Lattin, who was in the market area where Franco is accused of chasing Langford down and shooting her at “almost point blank range.”
Lattin, who has had a cider stand at the farm where she lives since 1956, told The Olympian in a prior interview that she tried to grab Franco so Langford would have a chance to get away, but he pushed her away.
Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy ordered Franco held at the Thurston County Jail with bail set at $2 million.
Shackleton said in court that Franco has “significant medical needs” that are being taken care of due to the “extraordinary efforts” of medical staff at the Thurston County Jail. Thurston County is responsible for Franco’s medical care while he is incarcerated awaiting charges.
Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5465
jpawloski@theolympian.com
