Alan Francis gets 40 years in '05 murder

WARREN — Before jury selection could begin its seventh day, Alan Francis of Niles accepted a plea agreement that prevents him from facing the death penalty.

His agreement today to plead no contest to aggravated murder and multiple counts of aggravated robbery and burglary got him a sentence of 40 years to life in prison.

Judge John M. Stuard of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court found Francis guilty of killing John P. Crocker, 76, of Emerson Street in Weathersfield Township, Nov. 21, 2005, in Crocker’s Weathersfield home during a robbery.

He was also found guilty of committing four other armed robberies at about the same time in Niles.

Francis, 46, got 40 years in prison for the armed robberies. The 40 years are to be served at the same time as the 33 years he got for the murder.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com