A Ku Klux Klan leader named Frank Ancona was found shot dead in Missouri on Saturday, and now his wife and stepson have been charged with murdering him. Ancona was a self-proclaimed “imperial wizard.” His gunshot wound-ridden corpse was found near a river.
Wife and stepson charged with murder
Ancona’s wife Malissa Ancona had been campaigning for her missing husband’s safe return on social media, probably as a cover in an attempt not to rouse suspicion, even if it won’t hold up as an alibi in court. His stepson Paul Jinkerson, Jr. was charged with Ancona’s murder alongside Malissa on Monday.
Malissa and Jinkerson are also facing other, less serious criminal charges in the Frank Ancona case, such as abandoning a corpse (which is a real felony these days apparently, so “Stand By Me” would end very differently if it was made today) and tampering with physical evidence.
Forensic team’s verdict
The preliminary forensic investigation run by the local police, along with the assessments made by detectives, suggests that Ancona was shot on Thursday in Leadwood, Missouri (approximately 70 miles south of St. Louis, which is ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the world) while he slept. The police allege that following the shooting, the perpetrators put his body in a car and drove the car 20 miles away from Ancona’s home to near Belgrade, where they dumped him and took off into the night.
Ancona’s body was discovered by a family who were out on a fishing trip on Saturday. His car was found 30 miles away from the corpse, and police have found what they believe to be a burn pile nearby.
Ancona reported missing before body found
Ancona was reported to be missing by his boss when he didn’t show up for work when he had a shift due.
Before Ancona’s corpse was discovered, Malissa told police that she was on a business trip out of the state to make a delivery, which sounds an awful lot like an alibi. Also, strangely, when Ancona was just missing and his body was yet to be uncovered, Malissa told police that she was going to file for a divorce from Ancona as soon as he returned.
But of course, he didn’t return, because apparently she murdered him.
Ancona was a leader within the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan organisation. They are officially described as a “White Patriotic Christian organisation that bases its roots back to the Ku Klux Klan of the early 20th century.” What they really mean is “bigoted, vile, racist cross burners,” but that doesn’t sound as homely as the official one. In statement by Ancona on the organisation’s website, he states their goal as “to preserve our White culture and heritage.” Both Malissa Ancona and Jinkerson have been remanded without bail.
