Tv 60 Minutes Story - The man through the hanging canvas

 

The man through the hanging canvas

By 60 Minutes

19^th of October 2023

Perth, Western Australia

Journalist- Isabelle Coto

WARNING: This story contains the tragedy of Tom Franklins death.

 

Today marks the 1-year anniversary of Tom Franklin’s horrific murder in seaside Shoalwater. It was in the late supper time of September 2023 when 000 got a disturbing call from a resident in seaside Shoalwater who had found her husband dead hung up with his head through a canvas on top of the fireplace. A year later and Ms. Franklin denied knowing about her husband’s death until she got proven guilty along with her helper Police officer Matt Smith. During the past year and the many public trials, the latest trial had a Neighbour speaking up about how they had evidence recorded on their front driveway camera. The camera caught Mr. Matt Smith walking over to the Franklin's house going inside for a while and leaving with Ms. Franklin both covered in blood. After this evidence had been shown during a public trial Ms. Mary Franklin and former police officer Matt Smith got arrested. 60 minutes has been granted an exclusive interview with the murderer, Ms. Mary Franklin and access to the key people involved in Mr. Franklin's murder. During the interview we asked Ms. Franklin a series of questions of why she did what she did and how she’s feeling in the situation she’s in right now. It was confirmed that she never loved Mr. Tom Franklin and instead loved her Neighbour Mr. Matt Smith, Ms. Franklin admitted to cheating on her husband but stated it was because he kept telling her that she was a ‘housewife’ in which Ms. Franklin did not like. She created a plan to kill her husband but needed help and relied on Mr. Matt Smith. During multiple trials Matt Smith revealed that it was all Ms. Franklin's plan and fault that Tom Franklin is dead.

“It was Mary’s problem that she hated her life; she could have just left her relationship with Tom but instead came to me. I didn’t know she was going to kill, I thought she would just threaten her husband.” Matt Smith said on the verge of bursting out in a flood of tears.

 After detectives did a lie detector test, it was proved that both individuals were the killers of Tom Franklin. Once they had found out that the detectives knew what had happened that awful night, both burst into tear begging for their forgiveness and mercy. Mary Franklin and Matt Smith were at another trial in court, and both got punished to 67 years in prison. 60 minutes was granted another exclusive interview of why Mary Franklin used a canvas to murder and hang up her husband on the wall. This is what she had to say:

“I love to paint, ever since I was a young girl. Since all I was is a ‘housewife’ to my husband I decided to create my final masterpiece. It’s a painting of me standing next to my husband. I decided not to finish my painting and leave his face blank. That’s when I decided to smash his head through the canvas resulting in his death. It was a sad evening. I was cheating because I fell out of love and I could tell that Tom did too, he’d start showing up late at home at various times of the night and so that evening when he was a few hours late I knew I had had enough. So, I decided to put an end to all this nonsense, an end to his life.” Mary said smirking.

We then decided to interview former police officer Matt Smith on why he helped his Neighbour in the killing of Tom Franklin. Here’s what he had to say:

“My relationship to Mary Franklin was much purer than her relationship to her husband and she agreed with me. We fell in love but knew Tom would get in the way of everything that me and Mary could have together. So, we came up with a plan and killed him. At least me and Mary can be together in prison.” Matt said in a manic way.

After all the interviews and the many public trials, Mary Franklin and Matt Smith are to be put in prison for 67 years for the crimes they committed. It is yet to come if they can stand in trial to lower the years sentenced. Rest in peace to Tom Franklin who tragically died. Thanks for reading 60 minutes.

Photo by: Matej