Stephanie Francis

Stephanie Francis was a 44-year-old mother of two known for her kind, gentle, and sweet nature. A resident of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, the White female was a beloved server at the local Wood River Bar & Grill, where customers and staff alike adored her. Her life, however, was cut short in an act of domestic violence that left her children without their parents and a community in mourning.

On the night of Friday, July 5, 2024, just after 11:45 p.m., Hopkinton police were called to Stephanie’s home on Stubtown Road. Inside, they discovered her deceased from a gunshot wound. The investigation revealed that her estranged husband, 45-year-old Joseph Francis, had arrived at the house with a shotgun. According to a police report, he found Stephanie on the second floor, and after a shouting match, he shot her in the chest. The couple’s two children and a family friend were in the home at the time of the shooting.

Detectives immediately identified Joseph Francis as the suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued for domestic violence-murder and violation of a no-contact order. A "Be On The Lookout" alert was broadcast to all law enforcement agencies, warning that he was armed and dangerous and driving a black Chevrolet Suburban. The manhunt came to a head the next morning, Saturday, July 6. At around 10:45 a.m., officers in Westerly spotted his vehicle, but he fled. About an hour later, he was seen again in Charlestown, sparking a high-speed chase involving officers from multiple departments.

The pursuit ended in the town of Richmond when Joseph Francis, traveling at a high rate of speed, failed to navigate a turn. His vehicle rolled over and came to rest on its roof in a wooded area. When law enforcement officers approached the overturned SUV, they found Joseph Francis inside, deceased. His death was later determined to be the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The murder was the culmination of a history of domestic issues. Just six weeks earlier, on May 20, Joseph had been arrested for simple assault and illegal possession of high-capacity magazines following a domestic incident at the family home. His firearms were seized, and a court issued a no-contact order, which he violated the night he killed Stephanie. The incident was officially ruled a murder-suicide, and with the death of the primary suspect, the criminal case was closed. In October 2024, hundreds of community members gathered for a memorial fundraiser to support Stephanie’s two children.