An Ohio father broke the peace of their ‘quiet’ neighborhood by shooting his 24-year-old daughter to death over a ‘argument about smoking in the house.
Franklin Thompson, 64, is accused of fatally shooting his daughter, Heather Thompson. He was found wandering a block from his Sycamore County home, carrying the alleged murder weapon in his pocket.
Thompson is now charged with first-degree murder, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. His daughter, Rebecca Thompson, was discovered by her 18-year-old sister with a fatal gunshot wound after Thompson allegedly fired multiple rounds at her.
Prosecutors say Thompson and his daughter had an argument about smoking in the house, which escalated into the fatal shooting around 1 a.m. Monday.
When Thompson’s other daughter returned to their shared residence on the 12000 block of 6th Street, she discovered Heather Thompson unresponsive near the front room. She immediately called 911 and attempted CPR.
When deputies arrived, they took over life-saving efforts and called for an ambulance. Despite being rushed to Bethesda North Hospital by Sycamore Township Fire Department paramedics, Heather Thompson died.
Thomson was later questioned by sheriff’s detectives and “admitted to shooting his daughter several times during a verbal interaction,” according to local Fox affiliate WXIX.
In a brief Tuesday morning hearing, prosecutors argued that he was a danger to others and set his bond at $1 million. “If he’s willing to do this to his own daughter, we’re very concerned about what he’d do to a stranger if he were to be released,” said lawyers, according to local NBC affiliate WLWT.
Neighbors described the suspect as a “nice guy” with no prior history of violence. Edgar Martinez, a neighbor, said, “Just a normal family over there.” This is sad.” Another neighbor, Vidalinda Roblero, had similar thoughts, saying, “He was very good. Well, when we moved here, he welcomed the family.”
Though neighbors say they have no suspicions, his wife filed for divorce in 2016, sparking years of abuse allegations. Thompson was arrested in 2023 for trespassing at a Kroger grocery store. Despite these incidents, there were no reports of mental illness or violence.
A grand jury date has been set for February 6.