Francis Eugene Gephart, a 35-year-old white male, was found dead alongside his father, Lewis Gephart Sr., age 84, in their home near West Lafayette, Coshocton County, Ohio, on January 3, 1966. The double homicide shocked the local community, as both men were reportedly murdered in what authorities described as a violent and deliberate act. The victims were discovered in their Lafayette Township residence, and the nature of the crime prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by local law
enforcement.
Shortly after the murders, suspicion turned toward a 23-year-old man named Richard E. Steeves from Waterville, Maine. Authorities identified Steeves as a suspect based on evidence linking him to the crime scene and his sudden disappearance following the incident. His car was later found abandoned in Gastonville, Pennsylvania, which further fueled suspicions and led to a multi-state manhunt.
By late January 1966, a Coshocton County Grand Jury indicted Richard E. Steeves on charges of murdering both Lewis Gephart Sr. and his son, Francis Eugene Gephart. The indictment followed a thorough investigation that included witness statements, forensic evidence, and the suspect’s known movements before and after the crime. The case drew significant media attention due to the brutality of the murders and the cross-state pursuit of the accused.
Francis Eugene Gephart, the 35-year-old white male victim, was buried in Fairfield Cemetery in West Lafayette, Ohio. His death, along with that of his elderly father, left a lasting impact on the local community, and the case remains a somber chapter in Coshocton County’s history.
