Authorities say an autopsy has confirmed that a North Carolina man suspected in a double slaying and a robbery spree died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police seeking another man stumbled upon him in a suburban Philadelphia motel room.
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Police said when officers tried to take the hitchhiker, James Miller, into custody, Franklin – assuming police were looking for him – opened fire. Officials in Pennsylvania said Franklin was found dead in the motel room and Lanning surrendered to police. Harran said the two were wanted in a double homicide October 30 in North Carolina as well as several robberies, but he didn’t have details or any names or ages of the suspects.
Bensalem Police said they were patrolling the area of the Knights Inn and discovered someone staying in the room had an active PA arrest warrant out. He was wanted for a parole violation, the Bensalem police said. Lanning will be sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility. He and one of the other suspects, Jennifer Lanning, had active arrest warrants out of Davidson County, North Carolina for homicide.
Bensalem Police and Bucks Detectives say the investigation is ongoing, and that they are cooperating with North Carolina authorities.
Lanning then surrendered and told police there were two men in the room, one with a gunshot wound. The second man held police at bay for about 2 1/2 hours but also surrendered, police said.
The SWAT team was eventually able to enter the room around 5 p.m. Once inside they found Franklin’s body.
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Investigators believe Franklin killed 82-year-old Davie Lee McSwain and 78-year-old Joan McSwain in their home in Davidson County on October 29. Additionally, police said Lanning was to be arraigned Saturday evening and sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility. The home had been ransacked, and police believe it was a home-invasion robbery.
