Do you know who killed 74 year old Francis Earle in 2009? In the quiet town of Seneca, South Carolina, the summer of 2009 was marked by a tragedy that left the community shaken and a family searching for answers. On July 12th, 74-year-old Francis Earle, a Caucasian female, was discovered deceased in her residence at 115 Brookwood Drive. The grim discovery was made after an attempted arson at her home, a place she had filled with memories.
The house, located in a quiet and not heavily traveled subdivision just outside of Seneca, has since been torn down.
Investigators determined that Earle's death was not a result of the fire but a homicide. The investigation revealed that she had been shot to death. Based on the condition of mail and newspapers found at her home, as well as autopsy results, authorities believe she was killed on July 7, 2009, five days before her body was found. Earle was a widow who lived by herself. She was a retired employee of Clemson University and a devoted member of Reedy Fork Baptist Church.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain perplexing to law enforcement. There were no signs of forced entry into her home, leading investigators to believe that Earle either knew her attacker or was taken by surprise. Her body was found in the bathroom of the home. Over the years, several persons of interest have been questioned and cleared of any involvement. While investigators have pursued leads and identified other individuals of interest, no probable cause has been established to make an arrest, and the case remains unsolved.
In 2012, investigators explored similarities between Earle's murder and the slaying of another woman, Alice Owenby, in Taylors, South Carolina. Owenby was also found shot in the head in the bathroom of her burned home. While a suspect was arrested in the Owenby case, he was never officially named a suspect in Earle's death, and her case continues to be an active and open investigation. The Oconee County Sheriff's Office continues to ask for the public's help, hoping that someone will come forward with the information needed to bring justice for Francis Earle.
