Saturday, December 7th, marked 18 years since Tonie Standley was last seen at her home in Quenemo. Hunters found Standley’s body 15 days later in a field about two miles from her home. The death was ruled a homicide. Her boyfriend at the time, Virgil Franks, told authorities that Tonie had taken her cell phone, but not her truck keys. Hunters found Standley’s body December 22nd near a minimum-maintenance road in the 400 block of Labette Terrace, inside the western edge of Franklin County and south of Pomona.
The Osage County Sheriff at the time, Laurie Dunn, declined to discuss if Standley’s death occurred where she was found or if she was killed elsewhere and moved to that location. Her daughter, Nora Sweetwood, told KOFO a few years ago, that despite her mother’s life choices, her love for family was her number one priority and she would have loved the grandchildren she has now. She says her mom deserves justice and her family deserves closure.
Sheriff Jeff Richards says he knows that someone out there knows something and urges anyone with any information, not matter how small, to contact the sheriff’s office, the Ottawa Police Department or any law enforcement agency. The case is one of five murder cold cases in Franklin County.
