An Oregon man accused of killing his wife after she served him with divorce papers allegedly confessed during recorded jailhouse phone calls, telling her son, “I lost it.”
Michel Fournier, 72, is on trial for second-degree murder in the death of his wife, 61-year-old Susan Lane-Fournier. Prosecutors say he shot her and then hid her body in a wooded area near their home.
During opening statements this week, Deputy District Attorney John Millar described the case in stark terms. “She ended up, instead of starting that new chapter, wrapped in a tarp and dumped in the woods,” he told jurors.
Lane-Fournier was reported missing in November 2024 after her truck was found abandoned in Mount Hood National Forest. At first, authorities believed she may have gone missing while hiking with her two dogs. However, deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office later discovered her body in the Welches area near East Highway 26 and East Miller Road. Officials say Fournier was arrested shortly after the discovery.
Her death was ruled a homicide. Prosecutors allege she was shot in the head, neck and chest. A GoFundMe page created by her family states she was killed “after serving [Fournier] with divorce papers.”
According to court testimony cited by The Oregonian, Fournier made several incriminating statements in calls to Lane-Fournier’s adult son in early 2025. In one call, he allegedly said, “I’m sorry,” followed by, “I lost it.” He also reportedly added, “I will be paying for it for a very long time.”
Investigators believe the couple’s shared property may have been a motive. Family members described Fournier as controlling and unwilling to give up the home. “My sister lost her life because of a narcissistic, immature little man,” her brother, Michael Lane, told KOIN after opening statements.
“His name was never on the lease,” Lane said in a separate interview. “He had to kill her to mute the divorce so he could keep the property.”
Prosecutors also allege Fournier killed the couple’s two dogs. As search efforts unfolded, authorities say Fournier called police and stated, “I think you guys want to talk to me. I was just served divorce papers. I’ve got a target on my back.”
Family members say they suspected foul play from the start, rejecting the early theory that she was simply a missing hiker. The trial is ongoing.
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