Preacher Convicted of Murdering Elderly Man to Conceal Theft of Money

Rev. Howard Douglas Porter has been convicted in the death of 85-year-old Frank Craig — a murder committed to hide the fact that Porter had stolen $1.1 million from the elderly man under the false pretext of building an agricultural museum. Porter staged two car wrecks in his effort to kill Craig in Hickman, California.

Porter, 57, was convicted of first-degree murder, embezzlement, elder abuse and attempted murder. Prosecutors proved that he staged a 2002 car wreck that left Craig unable to walk and then a 2004 car wreck that killed him.

On Thanksgiving Day of 2003, Craig asked a friend to drive him to the museum behind Porter’s church, the Hickman Community Church. They found nothing by gravel and Craig got physically sick at discovering the deception.

Porter eulogized Craig at his funeral after killing him in the car wreck. Porter was the driver. Click
here.

Porter used the money on his own homes and those of his family. A civil lawsuit is pending. He faces life without parole at his sentencing.

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