61-year-old woman died after her 72-year-old husband she wanted to divorce from shot her multiple times just because he didn’t want to lose the home they shared; husband charged

Oregon – In a case that has shaken a quiet Oregon community, a 72-year-old man, identified as M. Fournier, now stands accused of murdering his 61-year-old wife, S. Lane-Fournier, after she sought to end their marriage, a decision prosecutors say he could not accept because he feared losing the home they shared.

Fournier has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Lane-Fournier. Prosecutors allege Fournier shot her multiple times in the head, neck, and chest, then wrapped her body in a tarp and dumped it in a wooded area near their home. The killing, authorities say, was fueled not only by anger over divorce papers but also by resentment tied to property ownership. Family members and prosecutors described Fournier as unwilling to lose the life—and land—connected to his wife.

Lane-Fournier filed for divorce on October 31, citing “irreconcilable differences” that caused an “irremediable breakdown of their marriage.” The couple had been married since 2012. Court filings show that there was an attempt to serve Fournier with divorce papers in early November. Days later, in November 2024, Lane-Fournier vanished. Her truck was discovered abandoned in the Mount Hood National Forest, initially prompting concerns that she was a missing hiker who may have gotten lost while walking her two Malinois-mix dogs. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office launched a search.

But friends and family immediately suspected something darker. “She’s ex-search and rescue in California, so she’s well aware of safety procedures when it comes to being out in the woods,” her son D. Lane told reporters during the search. “I don’t think she’s a missing hiker at all.” Two days after she was reported missing, prosecutors say Fournier contacted police and told them, “I think you guys want to talk to me. I was just served divorce papers. I’ve got a target on my back.”

The search ended in tragedy when the search group made the discovery. Underneath that tarp was Lane-Fournier’s body. Authorities determined she had been shot multiple times. Her death was ruled a homicide. Prosecutors also allege that Fournier killed her dogs. Deputy District Attorney J. Millar told jurors during opening statements, “She ended up, instead of starting that new chapter, wrapped in a tarp and dumped in the woods.” Fournier was arrested shortly after the body was recovered.

As the case moved forward, prosecutors revealed that Fournier made several jailhouse calls to Lane-Fournier’s adult son in early 2025. During those calls, he allegedly made incriminating statements. “I’m sorry,” he reportedly said. “I lost it.” He also admitted, “I will be paying for it for a very long time.” Family members say the motive was clear. “My sister lost her life because of a narcissistic, immature little man,” said the victim’s brother, M. Lane. Referring to the home the couple shared, Lane added, “His name was never on the lease. He had to kill her to mute the divorce so he could keep the property.”

Lane-Fournier was remembered by loved ones as a vibrant and compassionate woman. A memorial page described her as “an artist, a creator, a healer, and a connector” who lived in a “small, sunlit home on the edge of the forest, where her walls bore the hues of her soul.” Her life, family members say, was cut short at the very moment she was preparing to begin a new chapter.

Fournier’s murder trial is expected to last two weeks. If convicted of second-degree murder, he faces the possibility of spending the remainder of his life behind bars. As jurors now weigh the evidence, the case stands as a grim example of how domestic disputes — when fueled by control, resentment, and fear of loss — can escalate into irreversible violence.