Darrell Franken
Death by Force

Case Description

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On January 18, 1983, a tragic and devastating incident occurred in Aplington, Iowa, resulting in the deaths of Darrell John Franken, age 37, and his entire family. The victims included Darrell's wife, Ethel Mae Franken, 33, and their three children: Troy Vance Franken, 13, Valerie May Franken, 11, and Dustin Jon Franken, 7.

The bodies of the Franken family were discovered in their home by local authorities after a friend, Dalene Tjabring, attempted to visit the family and found no one a ...Read More

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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PFC Darrell John Franken (1945-1983) - Memorials - Find a Grave

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Victim Details

name

Darrell Franken

gender

Male

race

White / Caucasian

city

Aplington

state

IA

Date of Death

1983-01-18

Age at Death

37

First Name

Darrell

Last Name

Franken

Last Updated

01/03/2025

Forum Posts (2)

I've been thinking a lot about how these tragic events often leave some questions unanswered, especi... ...Read More
07/15/2024

I've been reading about the tragic Franken family incident in Aplington, and something that really s... ...Read More
03/21/2024

Other Cases from Aplington, Iowa

Troy Franken

Death: Jan 18, 1983
On January 18, 1983, a tragic incident occurred in Aplington, Iowa, resulting in the deaths of five e ...Read More

Dustin Franken

Death: Jan 18, 1983
On January 18, 1983, a tragic incident occurred in Aplington, Iowa, resulting in the deaths of Dusti t ...Read More