Kendall Francois was born on July 26, 1971, in Poughkeepsie, New York. He grew up in a home with his parents and his younger sister. At a young age, Kendall was involved in sports. He wrestled and played football at Arlington High School. He graduated from high school in 1989. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and completed his basic training at Fort Sill.

During his four years in the Army, Kendall faced health issues. He was discharged due to obesity. After leaving the military, he returned to New York. He then enrolled at Dutchess Community College, where he studied liberal arts.

While attending Dutchess Community College, Kendall worked as a student monitor at Arlington Middle School. He earned the nickname "Stinky" from students because of his unpleasant smell. Despite this, he interacted with students, sometimes making inappropriate jokes and touching the hair of female students.

Kendall Francois committed a series of murders between October 1996 and August 1998. His first three victims were sex workers who he had seen before. On October 24, 1996, he picked up 30-year-old Wendy Meyers at the Valley Rest Motel. During their encounter, he choked her. After she lost consciousness, he held her down in the bathtub until she died. About a month later, on November 29, he killed 29-year-old Gina Barone in his car. Days later, he murdered Cathy Marsh, who was pregnant.

Francois continued his crimes, claiming his fourth and fifth victims in early 1997. They were 47-year-old Kathleen Hurley and 29-year-old Mary Healey Giaccone. By this time, the police were starting to connect the disappearances of these women. Detective Bill Siegrist received reports of complaints from local sex workers about Francois being violent during their encounters.

In January 1998, the police interviewed Francois, but it did not lead to any breakthroughs. Later that month, he was arrested for assaulting a sex worker in his home. He punched and choked her during an argument over money, which led to a short jail sentence.

The killing spree appeared to slow down slightly due to the increased police attention, but in June 1998, Francois killed 51-year-old Sandra Jean French, who was reported missing soon after. On August 26, he murdered 25-year-old Catina Newmaster, another sex worker from downtown Poughkeepsie.

On September 1, 1998, Francois attacked a local woman named Christine Sala. After she escaped and reported the incident to the police, they returned to talk to him. Eventually, he admitted to killing Catina Newmaster. A search warrant was executed at his home, revealing a house filled with garbage and a terrible smell. Inside, the police found multiple bodies, including 34-year-old Audrey Pugliese, who had not been reported missing.

Francois was charged with eight counts of first-degree murder. During his trial, he showed little emotion and admitted that he preferred killing over being in relationships. On August 7, 2000, he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. He remained in prison until his death on September 11, 2014, from an AIDS-related illness.