GUN CREEK – A Magoffin man remains behind bars at press time after allegedly breaking into a home where his estranged wife was staying and holding her at knifepoint for approximately an hour before she was able to load her shotgun and force him to leave the residence at gunpoint.
According to the arrest citation, on the morning of Wednesday, May 26, Hasel D. Francis allegedly broke into a residence by crawling through the doggie door at the back of the house on Gun Creek where his estranged wife had moved to recently after leaving him.
Once inside the residence, he reportedly took possession of a loaded 12-gauge shotgun lying beside the victim’s bed and removed the shell out of it before waking her up. Police later found the shell in his left, front pocket when he was placed under arrest, with Francis telling police he had taken the shell out because he wanted to talk to her.
The victim told police that Francis was standing over top of her with a knife when she woke up and that he would not allow her off the bed, allegedly hitting her in the face when she attempted to move.
She stated that Francis told her, “He had not made up his mind rather he was going to beat her to death or stab her to death,” according to the arrest citation, and that he planned to use the one shell she had for the gun to kill himself.
After approximately one hour, the victim reportedly was able to catch Francis not looking, grabbed a box of shells she had hidden in a shelf and put another shell in the shotgun. She then forced him at gunpoint to leave the residence and then called 911.
During the police investigation, Francis reportedly called his estranged wife after leaving the residence, with police able to listen to the conversation in which Francis repeatedly threatened her.
“Hasel D. Francis told [her] he would be at work waiting on her and he told her the next time they meet, and she looks him in his eyes it would be the last eyes she ever looks into,” according to the arrest warrant. “Hasel D. Francis also repeatedly said the day is not over and there was plenty of time left.”
Kentucky State Police Jimmie Stratton was able to locate Francis driving on KY Rt. 7 in Royalton nearly three hours later and place him under arrest without incident.
Francis was taken to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, where he remains at press time, facing the following charges: first-degree burglary, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, fourth-degree assault, third-degree terroristic threatening, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
An arraignment in the case was set for Wednesday this week, though the outcome of the hearing is unknown at press time.
Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
