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Frank Merrifield death by force case profile photo

Frank Merrifield

Case from Clinton, MO dated Jan 06, 1989

Victim Details

Frank T. Merrifield

Male

Clinton

MO

1989-01-06

Frank

Merrifield

07/08/2026

Case Description

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Frank Merrifield, a male from Clinton, Missouri, was spending a winter day at home when three fugitives on the run drifted into his life. The visitors were Robert Wesley Knighton, Lawrence Lingle Brittain, and Ruth Renee Williams, traveling together after stealing a van and leaving Kansas City behind. At Merrifield’s house, the mood looked deceptively ordinary at first: Merrifield was drinking with his friend Ray Donahue, and conversation turned to firearms—enough to make the strangers seem ...
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Links to Additional Sources (2)

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  • Robert Wesley Knighton - Wikipedia
  • Robert Wesley Knighton | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

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    Forum Posts (2)

    Has anyone else come across the details about Roy E. Donahue, Frank T. Merrifield’s stepson? I've ... ...Read More
    12/14/2024
    It's chilling to think about the ripple effects Knighton's crime spree had, not just on the victims ... ...Read More
    08/10/2023
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