Insets, from left: Gary Franke (Halteman- Fett & Dyer Funeral Home) and John Thomas Scott (WBNS). Background: The home where Scott shot Franke to death (WCMH).
A 45-year-old man from Ohio is on his way to prison after he confessed to killing an 81-year-old man, whom he had been working for by doing yard chores, and subsequently concealing the body beneath brush in a nearby wooded area.
John Thomas Scott recently admitted guilt to charges of murder, corpse abuse, and evidence tampering in connection with the death of Gary Franke at his Lancaster residence, located about 30 miles southeast of Columbus. A judge is yet to determine his sentence, which ranges from 18 years to life imprisonment.
According to an arrest affidavit seen by Law&Crime, Lancaster police responded on the morning of August 9 to a report of a missing person at Franke’s home on the 700 block of South Maple Street. Officers discovered Franke deceased in a wooded section of the property, with a gunshot wound.
Investigators found that Scott had been performing yard work for Franke the day before the incident. In a post-Miranda interview, Scott confessed to the killing, stating that after completing the yard work, he intended to rob Franke, leading to the murder. He initially left the scene but later returned with his girlfriend, Holly McDaniel, to hide Franke’s body in the woods.
Police apprehended Scott and McDaniel one day after the murder. McDaniel faces charges of evidence tampering and obstructing justice, with her legal proceedings still underway.
Franke was a beloved figure in his community, known for giving to charity and allowing neighborhood kids to ride on his golf cart, local NBC affiliate WCMH reported. He also would help people down on their luck.
“He would try to get them started back in their life, their credit right, get them started back and going again,” neighbor Troy Seiple told local CBS affiliate WBNS. “He was really proud about that.”
Franke’s obituary expanded on that notion.
“Known for his kindness and generosity, Gary often bought meals for those in need and provided them with work on his real estate properties. He believed deeply in second chances, even when they came with risk. Gary felt that everyone deserved the opportunity to turn their life around.”
Cops told WBNS that Franke knew the suspect for over 30 years.
A sentencing date has not yet been set for Scott.