Antoinette Renee Frank is a former officer of the New Orleans Police Department who, on March 4, 1995, committed a violent armed robbery at a restaurant which resulted in the killing of two members of the Vietnamese-American family who ran the establishment, and fellow NOPD officer Ronald A. Williams II. Frank currently resides at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, the only woman on the state's death row. She’s been there for 28 years.
ANTOINETTE FRANK. Autographed Letter, Signed. Penned in green ink, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Baton Rouge, LA. Pmk: August 16, 2023. Content unknown. SEALED.
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics: New Orleans police officer – Robbery at a Vietnamese restaurant
Number of victims: 3
Date of murders: March 4, 1995
Date of arrest: Same day
Date of birth: April 30, 1971
Victims profile: Ronald Williams, 25, an off-duty New Orleans cop, and two of the restaurant owner's children, Cuong Vu, 17, and Ha Vu, 24
Method of murder: Shooting
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Status: Sentenced to death on October 20, 1995
Antoinette Renee Frank (born April 30, 1971 | age 52) is a former officer of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) who, on March 4, 1995, committed a violent armed robbery at a restaurant which resulted in the killing of two members of the Vietnamese-American family who ran the establishment, and fellow NOPD officer Ronald A. Williams II. She was aided by her probable lover, drug dealer Rogers Lacaze. Frank currently resides at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, the only woman on the state's death row.
Facts
On March 4, 1995, Antoinette, then an officer with the New Orleans Police Department, and Rogers Lacaze were arrested and charged with three counts of first degree murder for the deaths of Ronald Williams, Ha Vu, and Cuong Vu. The murders occurred in the early morning hours at the Kim Anh Restaurant in New Orleans East. The Vu family owned the restaurant, and Ronald Williams was an off-duty police officer performing security detail that evening at the restaurant. Antoinette had occasionally worked at the restaurant as a security guard and was familiar with the Vu family and Ronald Williams. She and her co-defendant visited the restaurant several times on the night of the murders.
As the restaurant was closing early that morning, Chau Vu, sister of two of the victims, went into the kitchen to count money. She reentered the dining room of the restaurant to pay Ronald Williams, when she noticed Antoinette approaching the restaurant yet again. Sensing something was wrong, Chau Vu ran back to the kitchen and hid the money in the microwave before returning to the front of the restaurant. Using a stolen key, Antoinette entered the restaurant and began to walk quickly to the back of the building, pushing Chau, one of Chau's brothers, Quoc, and a restaurant employee along with her. Shots rang out, and Antoinette ran back to the front of the restaurant. Chau, Quoc, and the employee hid in a cooler in the kitchen, concerned because they did not know the whereabouts of Chau's and Quoc's sister and brother, Ha and Cuong. From inside the cooler, Chau and Quoc could partially see the front of the restaurant. Chau initially could see Antoinette, who appeared to be looking for something. Antoinette moved out of Chau's line of vision, and then the three hiding heard additional gunshots. Quoc next observed Antoinette searching in the area where the Vus usually kept their money. He then saw her walk over to the area where he later found the bodies of his brother and sister, and he heard more gunshots. After Antoinette and Rogers Lacaze left the premises, Quoc emerged from the cooler and called 911 to report the murders.
After police officers arrived on the scene, Antoinette returned to the restaurant as well. She approached Chau, asking her what happened. Chau found another officer and reported what she had witnessed. After Chau was interviewed in more detail, Antoinette and Rogers Lacaze were arrested and charged with first degree murder.
Antoinette and Rogers Lacaze were indicted by an Orleans Parish Grand Jury on April 28, 1995. Their trials were severed, and Rogers Lacaze was tried first on July 17-21, 1995, found guilty as charged, and sentenced to death. Antoinette's trial began on September 5, 1995, and on September 12, 1995, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts and recommended a sentence of death as to all counts. Antoinette was formally sentenced to death on October 20, 1995.i
VIDEO: Killer Antoinette Frank | https://youtu.be/DkwIWo6pJMY
Archiving Protocol:
Handled with White Gloves ab initio
Photo Pages/Sheet Protectors: Heavyweight Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free & Archival Safe, 8.5 × 11, Top Load
White Backing Board—Acid Free
Shipping/Packaging:
Rigid Mailer 9.5 ×
12.5. White, self seal, stay flat, kraft cardboard, no bend. Each
rigid mailer is made of heavy cardboard, which has strong resistance
to bending and tearing. Thicker that the USPS mailers. Shipping cost
never more than it absolutely has to be to get it from me to you.
i Blanco, J. (2023) Antoinette Frank | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers, Murderpedia.org. Available at: https://murderpedia.org/female.F/f/frank-antoinette.htm (Accessed: 20 August 2023).