Franklin Delano Floyd
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Franklin Delano Floyd (June 17, 1943 – January 23, 2023) was an American murderer, rapist, and
death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting executio ...
inmate. He was convicted of the 1989 murder of Cheryl Ann Commesso, as well as the
kidnapping Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...
of 6-year-old Michael Anthony Hughes, whom he claimed was his son, from his elementary school in
Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...
,
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. Floyd was also considered a
person of interest "Person of interest" is a term used by law enforcement in the United States, Canada, and other countries when identifying someone possibly involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime. It has no leg ...
in the 1990
hit-and-run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the criminal act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there ma ...
death of his second wife and kidnapping victim Sharon Marshall, mother of Michael Anthony Hughes. It was later discovered that before becoming his wife, Sharon had been raised by Floyd from an early age as his daughter and was kidnapped by Floyd as a child. Marshall's true identity remained a mystery until 2014 when she was positively identified as Suzanne Marie Sevakis, the daughter of a woman to whom Floyd was briefly married. He disappeared with Sevakis, her two sisters, and infant brother Phillip (also known as "Stevie") while her mother was serving a 30-day jail sentence in 1975. Sevakis' brother remained missing until 2019 when a man came forward believing he was Phillip; DNA tests confirmed his identity in 2020.Birkbeck, Matt
"Solving the Mystery of Baby Philip"
''Matt Birkbeck Official Site.'' 2022-7-20. Retrieved 2025-03-28.

"'Girl in the Picture': Were Michael Hughes' Remains Ever Found, Is Frank Floyd Still Alive and More Unanswered Questions"
''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
.'' 12 July 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
Richards, Amanda
"The Biggest Lingering Question From 'Girl in the Picture' Finally Has an Answer"
''
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
''. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2025.


Early life

Franklin Delano Floyd was born in Barnesville,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, the youngest of five children born to Thomas and Della Floyd. Shortly after Floyd's first birthday in 1944, his father, a cotton mill worker and
alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
, died from kidney and liver failure at age 32. His mother, a widow at age 28, struggled to make a living independently, so she and her children lived in a small apartment with her parents. Over the next year caring for the large family became too difficult for Floyd's grandparents, and by 1946 they asked Della and her children to leave. Floyd and his siblings were put into the care of Georgia Baptist Children's Home in Hapeville at the advice of the Lamar County child welfare agency. There, Floyd was allegedly bullied by other children for being "feminine" and later reported to have been routinely
sexually assaulted Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexua ...
by other boys in the home. He was also subjected to harsh punishments by the staff; as a teenager, his hand was dipped into hot water after being caught
masturbating Masturbation is a form of autoeroticism in which a person sexually stimulates their own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. Stimulation may involve the use of hands, everyday objects, sex toys ...
. In 1959, having been at the Children's Home two years after his youngest sister left, Floyd ran away and broke into a nearby house to steal food. The Children's Home contacted his sister Dorothy, who was married and living in
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
with two children, and told her that criminal charges would not be pursued if she took custody of her brother. After being kicked out of his sister's home, Floyd traveled to
Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
to search for his mother, Della, only to learn that she had become a
prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
. Floyd had Della help him forge legal documents allowing him to go to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
to enlist in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. However, the Army discharged Floyd six months into his service after discovering that he was underage and that his papers were falsified. After being unable to find his mother again, Floyd traveled across the country as a drifter. Della died on July 2, 1968, and is buried in
Graceland Cemetery Graceland Cemetery is a large historic garden cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Irving Park R ...
in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
.


Early criminal history

On February 19, 1960, at age 16, Floyd broke into a
Sears Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosen ...
department store in
Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...
, to steal a gun. Police quickly responded to a burglar alarm, resulting in a shootout in which Floyd was shot in the stomach. He survived following emergency surgery. After recovering, he was sent to a youth institution for a year. In 1961, he was arrested for violating his
parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
by going on a fishing trip in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
with a friend. In May 1962, Floyd returned to Hapeville and found a job at
Atlanta International Airport Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 520,070 (2024 estimate) living within the city limits, Atlan ...
. The following month, he abducted a four-year-old from a local
bowling alley A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a clubhouse or dwelling ...
and
sexually assaulted Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexua ...
her in the nearby woods. Floyd was convicted of kidnapping and
child molestation Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
and was sentenced to serve ten to twenty years at the
Georgia State Prison Georgia State Prison was the main maximum-security facility in the US state of Georgia for the Georgia Department of Corrections. It was located in unincorporated Tattnall County. First opened in 1938, the prison housed some of the most da ...
in Reidsville. That November, he was moved to the Milledgeville State Hospital for psychiatric testing. While being taken out for a medical errand in 1963, Floyd escaped and fled to Macon, where he
robbed Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person o ...
over $6,000 from a branch of the
Citizens & Southern National Bank Citizens and Southern National Bank (C&S) was an American bank which started as a Georgia institution that expanded into South Carolina, Florida and into other states via mergers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia; it was the largest bank in the So ...
. He was convicted of the robbery and was sentenced to the Federal Reformatory in
Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in Ross County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, ...
. After a second escape attempt, he was transferred to the
United States Penitentiary The Federal Bureau of Prisons classifies prisons into seven categories: * United States penitentiaries * Federal correctional institutions * Private correctional institutions * Federal prison camps * Administrative facilities * Federal correcti ...
in
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Williamsport and north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. The population was 5,158 as of the United States Census 202 ...
. There, he was repeatedly
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...
d by other inmates, causing him to climb a roof at the prison and threaten to commit suicide at one point. After being sent to the
federal penitentiary The Federal Bureau of Prisons classifies prisons into seven categories: * United States penitentiaries * Federal correctional institutions * Private correctional institutions * Federal prison camps * Administrative facilities * Federal correcti ...
in
Marion, Illinois The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The population in Marion, IL was 16,855 according to the 2020 census. It is part of a dispersed urban area that developed out of early 20th-century coal fields ...
, Floyd was sent back to the Georgia State Prison in 1968 and befriended a fellow inmate named David Dial. In November 1972, Floyd was released from prison and sent to a
halfway house A halfway house is a type of prison or institute intended to teach (or reteach) the necessary skills for people to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. Halfway houses are typically either state sponsored for those ...
. On January 27, 1973, a week after he was released from the halfway house, he approached a woman at a gas station and forced her into her car, where he attempted to grope and sexually assault her. The woman managed to escape, and Floyd was arrested. Floyd convinced Dial, who had also been released from prison, to post his
bond Bond or bonds may refer to: Common meanings * Bond (finance), a type of debt security * Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States * Fidelity bond, a type of insurance policy for employers * Chemical bond, t ...
, releasing him from custody until his hearing on June 11, 1973. Floyd did not show up to court, making him a
fugitive A fugitive or runaway is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from jail, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. A fugitive from justice, also known ...
.


Relationship with Sandra Brandenburg

By 1974, Floyd was using the alias Brandon Williams. While at a
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
truck stop, he met Sandra Francis Brandenburg (née Chipman). She was the mother of four children by two different fathers: Suzanne Marie Sevakis (1969–1990), from her first husband Clifford Ray Sevakis, and Allison (b. 1971), Amy (b. 1972), and Philip (nicknamed "Stevie") (b. 1974) Brandenburg from her second husband. Floyd and Brandenburg dated for a month and married, and Floyd convinced Brandenburg to move her family with him to
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. Brandenburg was interviewed in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
documentary ''Girl In The Picture'', in which she stated that she met Floyd in a church. She was crying, and he approached her, asking what was wrong. When she replied that she was at risk of losing her children, Floyd offered to marry her and be the children's father, which she agreed to."The Girl in the Picture" Brandenburg was sentenced to thirty days in jail for passing bad checks in 1975. While she served her time, she left her children in the custody of Floyd. After she was released, she arrived home to find the residence vacated, and her husband and children were gone. Brandenburg eventually found her two middle daughters, Allison and Amy, in the care of a local church-operated
social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. Also available amachine-converted HTML They may be provided by individuals, private and i ...
group. She never found her oldest child, Suzanne, or her youngest child, Philip. She attempted to file kidnapping charges but was told by local authorities that, as their stepfather, Floyd had a right to take the children. The boy's whereabouts remained unknown until 2019 when a man came forward believing he was Philip. DNA tests confirmed his identity. According to his older sister Allison, their mother had first claimed that Philip was dead. She later learned from Social Services that he was alive and had been privately adopted in North Carolina shortly after he was born. As of 2018, Sandra Brandenburg was known as Sandra Willett.


Death of Suzanne Sevakis

Suzanne Sevakis, then living under the alias Sharon Marshall, graduated from Forest Park High School in
Forest Park, Georgia Forest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,932. In the 1800s, Forest Park ...
, in 1986. Floyd was living under the alias Warren Marshall. Sevakis earned a full scholarship to the
Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public university, public research university and Institute of technology (United States), institute of technology in Atlanta, ...
to study
aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
. Unfortunately, as she told a friend, she was pregnant, and her "father" Warren would not allow her to attend college. She gave birth to a child who was placed for adoption. She and Floyd moved to
Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, where she began working as an
exotic dancer A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events. Modern forms of stripping m ...
. Sevakis became pregnant again, giving birth to Michael Anthony Hughes in 1988. She and Floyd were married in 1989 in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
; by then, the two had begun using the aliases Clarence Marcus Hughes and Tonya Dawn Tadlock, with Sevakis becoming Tonya Dawn Hughes on the marriage certificate. It was discovered years later that Sevakis had given birth to a daughter while living in New Orleans. The daughter was placed for adoption. Her name is Megan. By 1989, Floyd and Sevakis were living in
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...
. Sevakis worked as an exotic dancer at a
strip club A strip club (also known as a strip joint, striptease bar, peeler bar, gentlemen's club, among others) is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances. St ...
. A fellow dancer, Karen Parsley, encouraged Sevakis to leave the domineering Floyd, only for Sevakis to claim that he would kill her and her son if she tried. Floyd had joined the
Fraternal Order of Police The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodge ...
, despite not being a police officer, and had told Sevakis that he could use his connections to track her down. However, by April 1990, Sevakis had decided to run away with Kevin Brown, a college student with whom she was having a secret relationship, and take Michael with her. That month, three passers-by found Sevakis lying on the side of a highway one hundred miles outside of
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
. As she was found with groceries scattered around her, police surmised she had been struck from behind in a
hit-and-run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the criminal act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there ma ...
while walking from a convenience store to a nearby
Motel 6 Motel 6 is an American chain of motels with locations in the United States and Canada. The chain was founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1962 by William W. Becker and Paul Greene, and derives its name from the fact that rooms initially cos ...
. She was rushed to the Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City with severe bruises and a large
hematoma A hematoma, also spelled haematoma, or blood suffusion is a localized bleeding outside of blood vessels, due to either disease or trauma including injury or surgery and may involve blood continuing to seep from broken capillaries. A hematoma is ...
at the base of her skull. She subsequently died. When Floyd arrived at the hospital the following day, he claimed he had fallen asleep at the Motel 6 after Sevakis had departed to collect the groceries. At the time of Sevakis' death, she and Floyd were suspects in the 1989 disappearance of 18-year-old Cheryl Ann Commesso, her fellow exotic dancer at the same strip club. Commesso had disappeared following an angry confrontation with Floyd. Floyd was also the lead suspect in Sevakis' death.


Kidnapping of Michael Anthony Hughes

Following Suzanne's death, Floyd put her son Michael into
foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...
and left the state. Michael's foster parents told authorities the boy had limited muscle control, was non-verbal, and often experienced hysterical behavior when he first arrived at their home, but he had made remarkable progress. In 1994, they began
adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, fro ...
proceedings. Six months after Michael was placed in foster care, Floyd was arrested on a parole violation. As part of the adoption process, Michael's
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
was compared to Floyd's to establish paternity. At that time, it was determined Floyd was not Michael's biological father. When Floyd was released from jail, he attempted to regain custody of Michael. Based on his
criminal record A criminal record (not to be confused with a police record or arrest record) is a record of a person's criminal Conviction, convictions history. The information included in a criminal record, and the existence of a criminal record, varies betwe ...
and the discovery that he had no biological relation, his request was denied. On September 12, 1994, Michael was in the first grade at Indian Meridian Elementary School in
Choctaw, Oklahoma Choctaw is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, with a population of 12,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a 9.3% increase from 2010. It is the oldest chartered town in Oklahoma Territory. The city is located appr ...
. Floyd walked into the school and forced
Principal Principal may refer to: Title or rank * Principal (academia), the chief executive of a university ** Principal (education), the head of a school * Principal (civil service) or principal officer, the senior management level in the UK Civil Ser ...
James Davis, at gunpoint, to take him to Michael's classroom. Floyd then forced Michael and Davis into his pickup truck. Floyd forced Davis out of the truck in a wooded area, handcuffed him to a tree, and sped off with Michael. The principal survived the abduction and was rescued. Two months later, Floyd was arrested in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...
. Michael was not with him and was never seen again. Authorities received conflicting reports as to what had happened to Michael. Some witness statements detailed alleged confessions by Floyd regarding Michael's death. According to these reports, Floyd reportedly told his sister and others that he drowned the child in a motel bathtub in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
shortly after the kidnapping. Another person claimed he saw Floyd bury Michael's body in a cemetery. Still other sources reported that Floyd had stated that Michael was still alive and safe, although Floyd had refused to disclose the boy's exact location or who was caring for him. In a 2014 interview with the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
, Floyd finally admitted to killing Michael on the same September 1994 day of the kidnapping, shooting him twice in the back of the head.


Cheryl Ann Commesso

Commesso's 1989 disappearance remained unsolved until her skeletal remains were found in 1995 by a landscaper in an area off Interstate 275 in
Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County (, ) is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most d ...
. She was listed as a
Jane Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used in the British, Canadian, and American legal systems, when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law ...
until a year later, when the remains were identified. An archeologist determined that she died from a beating and two gunshots to the head. Floyd and Suzanne Sevakis had been persons of interest in the case after coworkers witnessed an altercation between Floyd and Commesso. Floyd accused Commesso of reporting Sevakis for misstating her income, resulting in Sevakis losing her government benefits. The argument occurred outside the club where Sevakis and Commesso worked as exotic dancers. A coworker reported that Floyd punched Commesso in the face. Floyd and Sevakis fled to Oklahoma shortly after Commesso disappeared, and their trailer was burned to the ground in what was ruled intentional
arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...
. In March 1995, a mechanic in
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
found a large envelope stuffed between the truck bed and the top of the gas tank of a truck he had recently purchased at an auction. He found 97 photographs in the envelope, including many photographs of a woman bound and severely beaten. The police traced the truck to Floyd, who had stolen it in Oklahoma in September 1994 but abandoned it in Texas the following month. Investigators compared the photographs of the injured woman with Commesso, as well as evidence found with her remains, and found that the clothing in the photographs was similar. The
medical examiner The medical examiner is an appointed official in some American jurisdictions who is trained in pathology and investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdicti ...
also compared injuries seen in the photograph to the cheekbone of Commesso's skull and found that they were consistent. Many pictures contained images of furniture and other belongings identified as present in Floyd's intentionally-destroyed trailer. He was tried and convicted for Commesso's murder on the basis of the photographic evidence found in the truck.


Further investigation

Other photos found in the truck show
sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...
of Sevakis starting very early in her childhood. Authorities found photos of her in sexually explicit poses at various ages, starting around age four. In September 2014, Floyd admitted to the murder of Michael and that he had disposed of his body on
Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...
. A search of the area yielded no results, and police believe wild hogs may have eaten Michael's body. In 2001, while Floyd was awaiting trial for Commesso's murder, Judge Nancy Ley ruled that he was
incompetent to stand trial In United States and Canadian law, competence concerns the mental capacity of an individual to participate in legal proceedings or transactions, and the mental condition a person must have to be responsible for his or her decisions or acts. Comp ...
and ordered him to undergo a further mental evaluation. Floyd fought against this assessment, asserting that he was competent. Several months later, the judge reversed her previous ruling and ordered Floyd to stand trial. He was convicted of first degree murder and
sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
.


''A Beautiful Child'' and ''Finding Sharon''

The book ''
A Beautiful Child ''A Beautiful Child'' () is the best selling non-fiction book by author Matt Birkbeck, published by Berkley/Penguin in 2004 and in paperback in 2005. It tells the story of a young woman known by many names, including Sharon Marshall, who was kid ...
'' by investigative journalist
Matt Birkbeck Matt Birkbeck (born Brooklyn, N.Y.) is an American investigative journalist and author. He wrote the bestselling book ''A Beautiful Child'', which told the tragic story of "Sharon Marshall" and her "father" Franklin Delano Floyd, and the seque ...
was published in 2004. It brought the story of Franklin Floyd and Sharon Marshall, whose real identity was still unknown, to light and led to the discovery of the daughter placed for adoption in 1989. Worldwide interest in finding Sharon's true identity generated by the book eventually led the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and FBI to revive the case in 2011. In 2014, two FBI agents interviewed Franklin Floyd, who confessed to killing Michael Hughes and divulged Sharon's true identity, Suzanne Sevakis. The 2018 memoir ''Finding Sharon'', also written by Matt Birkbeck, tells the story of the events that transpired following the publication of ''
A Beautiful Child ''A Beautiful Child'' () is the best selling non-fiction book by author Matt Birkbeck, published by Berkley/Penguin in 2004 and in paperback in 2005. It tells the story of a young woman known by many names, including Sharon Marshall, who was kid ...
'' and how they led to finding Sharon's true identity.


''Girl in the Picture''

''Girl in the Picture'' is a Netflix original documentary about the Sharon Marshall/Franklin Floyd saga that first aired in July 2022. It is directed by Skye Borgman and based on the books ''
A Beautiful Child ''A Beautiful Child'' () is the best selling non-fiction book by author Matt Birkbeck, published by Berkley/Penguin in 2004 and in paperback in 2005. It tells the story of a young woman known by many names, including Sharon Marshall, who was kid ...
'' and ''Finding Sharon'' by
Matt Birkbeck Matt Birkbeck (born Brooklyn, N.Y.) is an American investigative journalist and author. He wrote the bestselling book ''A Beautiful Child'', which told the tragic story of "Sharon Marshall" and her "father" Franklin Delano Floyd, and the seque ...
, who is also the executive producer. ''Girl in the Picture'' featured interviews with many of the participants in the story, including the biological parents of Suzanne Sevakis. The critically acclaimed film was an instant hit and was Netflix's number one movie worldwide for several weeks. It received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.


Death

Floyd died from natural causes while on death row on January 23, 2023, at the age of 79.


See also

* List of kidnappings


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Floyd, Franklin Delano 1943 births 2023 deaths 1989 murders in the United States 1990 murders in the United States 1994 murders in the United States 1990s missing person cases 20th-century American criminals American kidnappers American male criminals American people convicted of child sexual abuse American people convicted of murder American prisoners sentenced to death American people who died in prison custody American rapists Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state) Missing person cases in the United States People convicted of murder by Florida People from Barnesville, Georgia People with antisocial personality disorder Prisoners sentenced to death by Florida Prisoners who died in Florida detention Suspected serial killers