Ohio Man Pleaded Guilty to Killing an 81-year-old Man and Burying His Body

A man from Ohio is scheduled to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to murdering an 81-year-old man, after he finished doing yard work for him. After killing the 81-year-old man, he buried the body of the victim under a bush in a wooded area.

A 45-year-old man, identified as John Thomas Scott, is headed to prison after he pleaded guilty to murdering an 81-year-old man in Ohio. Scott has pleaded guilty to all the charges against him, which include murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. The victim has been identified as Gary Franke, at his home in Lancaster, which is located around 30 miles southeast of Columbus.

Scott’s sentencing has been scheduled for a later date. Scott is scheduled to be sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment.

A probable cause affidavit reviewed by Law & Crime stated that Lancaster police reported to the victim's house in the 700 block of South Maple Street early in the morning of August 9th for a missing person report. Upon arrival at the location, the officers found the victim, whom they identified as Gary Franke. The officers found him buried under a bush in a wooded area on the property. The police mentioned that the victim had suffered from a gunshot wound.

The investigators have later confirmed that Scott had done some yard work for Franke a day before August 9th, the day the officers arrived at the victim’s location. Post-Miranda, Scott admitted to killing Franke.

After he finished the yard work, he decided to rob Franke and murdered him in the process. Scott left the scene before returning with his girlfriend, Holly McDaniel. The two then buried Franke’s body in the woods.

The police arrested Scott and McDaniel one day after the incident occurred. McDaniel was charged with tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. Her case is currently ongoing, according to Law&Crime reports.

Franke was a beloved figure in his community, known for giving to charity and for letting neighborhood kids ride on his golf cart, according to reports from the local NBC affiliate WCHM.

“He would try to get them started back on their life, their credit right, get them started back and going again,” a neighbor named Troy Seiple told the local CBS affiliate WBNS. “He was really proud about that,” he added.

Franke's obituary mentioned, “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 life around.”

The police told WBNS that Franke had known the suspect for over 30 years. A sentencing date has not yet been set for Scott.