Murder charges filed against husband of missing Oregon hiker

The disappearance of Susan “Phoenix” Lane-Fournier, a 61-year-old woman from Viels, Oregon, has taken a tragic and shocking turn. Nearly a month after she filed for divorce, her husband, 71-year-old Michel Fournier, was arrested and charged with murder.

On Friday morning, officers with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body found near East Highway 26 and East Miller Road. On Saturday, the state medical examiner identified the deceased as Lane-Fournier and confirmed her death as a homicide. Fournier was arrested the same day and booked into the Clackamas County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder. He is being held without bail.

Lane-Fournier was reported missing on November 22 after he failed to show up for work. According to the sheriff’s office, she had reportedly gone hiking with her two large Malinois mixes in the Mount Hood National Forest near Werden. Her disappearance sparked a multi-day search that ended Tuesday when the search for her was called off. A friend of Lane-Fournier’s later discovered her truck parked near the Green Canyon Way Trail along East Salmon River Road.

Court records show that Lane-Fournier filed for divorce on Oct. 31, citing “irreconcilable differences” that led to the “irremediable breakdown” of her 12-year marriage to Fournier. The couple, who married on May 5, 2012, lived in Werden. At the time of her disappearance and subsequent death, the divorce was still pending.

Neighbors described the couple as reclusive but expressed concern for Lane-Fournier’s safety in recent months. Betty Swan-DeLong, a local resident, said: “A lot of people were worried about domestic violence. We’ve all talked about that.”

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Lane-Fournier’s two Malinois mix dogs are still missing, adding another layer of mystery to the case. Investigators are asking anyone with information, particularly about Fournier’s whereabouts in the days leading up to Lane-Fournier’s death, to call the hotline at 503-723-4949 or submit information online, referring to CCSO Case No. 24-024698.

This case has shocked the Viel community as residents grapple with the tragic loss of a neighbor and the disturbing allegations against her husband. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover further details about the events that led to this devastating outcome.