At Spiky TV, we dive into true crime stories that grip the heart and demand justice, like the tragic case of Jeffrey Franklin. A terrible house fire in Chenango County, New York, in March 2017 killed 16-year-old Jeffrey Franklin. He was deaf and autistic and loved trains and Legos. What at first looked like a terrible accident quickly turned out to be a terrifying murder plot. The Murder Tapes: Things Weigh On You from Investigation Discovery shines a light on this sad case and shows how Jeffrey’s adoptive parents, Ernest and Heather Franklin, were responsible for his death. If you’re curious about what happened and where Ernest and Heather are today, keep reading for the full story.
Who Was Jeffrey Franklin?
Jeffrey R. Franklin Jr., known as JR, was born on July 22, 2000, in Binghamton, New York. He had problems from a young age, such as being deaf, having autism, having developmental delays, and not being able to move around much. Even though things were hard for Jeffrey, he stayed positive. He used sign language to talk and liked simple things like colourful books, building with Legos and anything to do with trains. After spending time in foster care, Jeffrey was adopted by Ernest and Heather Franklin in 2013 when he was 11. The couple, unable to have biological children at the time, seemed to offer him a loving home in rural Guilford, New York. Heather could even speak sign language, which helped her get to know Jeffrey. For a while, things looked good for the teen who wanted a family of his own.
But things weren’t as perfect as they seemed when no one was looking. Heather was pregnant with the couple’s first biological child by 2017, and things in the house were getting worse. Jeffrey’s disabilities required extra care, which his adoptive parents say was hard on them. Heather’s social media posts showed how upset she was about things like Jeffrey’s behaviour and the stress of being his parent. These little looks into their home life would later be very important pieces of evidence in a shocking investigation.
The Tragic Night of the Fire
On March 1, 2017, at around 1:14 a.m., a neighbour called 911 to report a fire at the Franklin home on State Highway 8 in Guilford. Ernest Franklin was outside, claiming he’d been chasing the family’s dogs when he noticed the blaze. Firefighters arrived to find the double-wide trailer engulfed in flames. Ernest told them Jeffrey was still inside, but he pointed them to the wrong window, delaying their efforts to reach the teen. By the time the fire was under control, it was too late. Jeffrey’s body was found on his bed, burned beyond recognition.
At first, investigators thought the fire, traced to an open wood stove, was the cause of Jeffrey’s death. The autopsy, on the other hand, told a different story. Jeffrey’s lungs didn’t have any soot or smoke in them, and his blood didn’t have any extra carbon monoxide, which is what you would expect in a death by fire. This meant that Jeffrey had died before the fire started. Ernest and Heather were at the center of the case, which quickly changed from an accident to a murder investigation.
The Investigation Unravels a Sinister Plot
Detectives started by questioning Ernest, who was at the scene when firefighters arrived. He claimed Jeffrey went to bed around 8:30 p.m. that night. After watching a movie with Heather until 10:30 p.m., he said she left to buy medicine because she was pregnant. Ernest said he lit the wood stove, then went into the woods to chase their dogs, only to return and find the house on fire. He ran to a neighbor’s to call for help. Heather, when questioned, said she drove to Walmart around 11 p.m., then to Price Chopper, and back to Walmart, returning home around 2:18 a.m.
While CCTV footage confirmed parts of Heather’s story, Ernest’s account couldn’t be verified. Red flags piled up. Why didn’t Ernest try to save Jeffrey? Why did he misdirect firefighters? Neighbors noted the couple seemed more concerned about their pets than their son during the chaos. A search of Heather’s truck revealed a GPS unit showing she briefly returned home for five minutes after her first Walmart trip—something she never mentioned. These inconsistencies raised suspicions.
Prosecutors uncovered a chilling motive. They believed Ernest and Heather, overwhelmed by Jeffrey’s needs and focused on their upcoming biological child, wanted to get rid of him. The night before the fire, the couple watched Manchester by the Sea, a film where a character accidentally starts a fire that kills his children but faces no charges. Prosecutors said this gave them the idea to kill Jeffrey, set a fire, and say it was an accident. There was proof that Ernest killed Jeffrey in a violent way, then used the wood stove to start the fire and left the door open so the flames could spread. Heather, meanwhile, created an alibi by driving around town.
On March 22, 2017, Ernest and Heather were arrested. Two days later, they were indicted on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree arson, and tampering with physical evidence. Both pleaded not guilty, but the evidence was mounting against them.
The Trials and Sentencing
The Chenango County Court started Ernest’s trial on February 27, 2019. Prosecutors presented circumstantial evidence, including the autopsy results, GPS data, and Heather’s social media posts that indicated her frustration with Jeffrey. They said that the couple’s plan was based on the movie Manchester by the Sea, and motivated by their desire to get away from the duties of caring for a disabled teen. Ernest’s defence claimed the evidence was weak and circumstantial, insisting he had a close bond with Jeffrey. But the jury didn’t buy it. On March 11, 2019, Ernest was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree arson, and tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to 21 years to life for murder, with additional concurrent sentences of 5 to 15 years for arson and 1â…“ to 4 years for tampering. He appealed in 2023, but the conviction was upheld.
Heather took a different path. On April 2, 2019, the day before her trial was set to start, she accepted a plea deal. She pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, third-degree arson, and tampering with physical evidence. On July 15, 2019, she was sentenced to 5 years for manslaughter, with 5 years of post-release supervision, plus 1 to 3 years for arson and tampering, originally set to run consecutively. After an appeal, the arson and tampering sentences were adjusted to run concurrently with each other but still consecutively to the manslaughter term. Heather’s plea acknowledged she knew about Ernest’s actions and left the home to create an alibi.
Where Are Ernest and Heather Franklin Now in 2025?
Ernest Franklin is currently serving his sentence at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. He won’t be able to get out of prison until March 18, 2038, when he will be in his mid-50s. His conviction is still strong, and he will likely spend at least 13 more years in prison for his part in Jeffrey’s murder.
Heather Franklin, who is now 39, is no longer in jail. After serving about four and a half years, she was let out on supervised parole with a Limited Credit Time Allowance on December 20, 2023. She will be watched for five years after her release, which means she will be watched until at least late 2028. While her exact whereabouts aren’t public, she’s likely living in New York under parole conditions. Heather must live with the weight of her actions for the rest of her life, as the Chenango County District Attorney noted during her sentencing.
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