Murder of Michael Francke: Focus of Film and Fundraiser for Englewood Forest Festival

Many insiders believe the man convicted in the murder, Frank Gable, was a patsy.

Frank Gable at the Marion County Courthouse in 1990. (File photo)

(SALEM, Ore.) -

Michael Francke (RIP)

The untimely murder of Oregon's top corrections official: it is a story that never goes away.

The Englewood Forest Festival, a summer arts festival at Englewood Park in Salem, Oregon is presenting “Without Evidence,” a film about the murder that occurred near the park in January of 1989.

The location was in the neighborhood at the Dome Building – office of the Department of Corrections, 7 blocks away from the park, and the victim was Michael Francke, the Director of the Oregon Dept. of Corrections.

When the murder happened, on January 17th 1989, the quiet neighborhood was shaken up. The park around the Dome Building was a short cut from D St. to Center St. and was a quiet state owned park known for its large and beautiful trees.

The murder was quickly solved and the motive was robbery. The suspect, Frank Gable, was found and the trial delivered swift justice, or did it?

The official story has been one of lingering doubt among many residents who knew the organization. There were mysterious deaths of people whose stories revolved around connections to the death of Michael Francke. The official story seemed to hide a number of unresolved facts.

At the time of his death, the legislative session was opening, and Michael Francke was onto something big. With his death, the investigation stopped.

Join us June 12, 2018 at 7:45 pm at Salem Cinema to look at the unanswered questions brought up by former Oregonian reporter Phil Stanford’s script.

Peter Vanderwoll, who worked on "Without Evidence" will talk about the making of the movie shot on location in Salem and the bigger story behind the murder.

Local journalist Tim King will talk about some of the disturbing facts behind Michael Francke's murder and the legacy of decades of unresolved corruption in Oregon's Dept. of Corrections.

This is a rare opportunity to learn inside facts relating to this historic crime, and support the Englewood Forest Festival.

For Angelina Jolie fans, this is one of her earlier roles. $15 at the door and $ 12 in advance.

June 12, 2018
7:45 pm
Salem Cinema
1127 Broadway Street #170
Salem, OR

Contacts: Leslie Polson 503 569-9229, Cindy Kimball 503 881 5305, Tim King 971 304 1345

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SEE ALSO:

Oregon prison corruption and the murder of Michael Francke

The Oregon Innocence Project Weighs in on Frank Gable's Behalf

Snitch Sheets, Unresolved Murder and Severe Tobacco Crimes

Without Evidence (1995) IMDB