Bio

Na Cola Darcel Franklin was born in 1981.

By 2012 she lived in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. She lived with her fiancé, Billy Brewster, and the couple had children in the home. Franklin also had at least one child from a previous relationship.

Reports say Franklin and Brewster had lived together about a year before their planned wedding. Relatives, including Brewster's cousin and his wife, were staying with them at that time.

Murder Story

On August 11, 2012, in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Na Cola Franklin fatally stabbed her fiancé, Billy Brewster, 36, in their apartment. The stabbing happened in the early morning hours. Several relatives and children were in the home at the time. Brewster was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Franklin was arrested the same day.

At trial, prosecutors played two 911 calls and called witnesses who were inside the apartment the morning of the killing. Witnesses said Franklin and Brewster argued, that a knife was used, and that relatives tried to stop the attack and took the knife. A forensic pathologist testified Brewster had been stabbed. Jurors found Franklin guilty of first-degree murder on May 26, 2013 after about three hours of deliberation.

Franklin was sentenced to life in prison on July 16, 2013. At sentencing she apologized and said she did not mean for it to happen. Her attorney, John Waldron, said he planned to appeal and had argued the case should have been manslaughter. Brewster’s mother said the family felt they had received justice.