Happy Valentine's Day and it looks like Wichita Falls is 'celebrating' an anniversary of a dark day in our history.

Mayor of Wichita Falls Frank Collier Accused of Murder

Valentine's Day should all be about romantic stories, but exactly 100 years ago today. A shocking murder took place right here in Wichita Falls. The Mayor of the city Frank Collier murdered his own son-in-law. Now apparently Frank did not approve of his daughter Mary eloping with a man named Elze Robertson. Collier claimed Mary would be going into "A house of bad repute," according to a newspaper who shared the story back in the day. Shockingly, Collier was only sentenced to three years in prison. Now the name Frank Collier is not known in Wichita Falls by many today, but another name that may sound familiar was very important in this case.

James V. Allred, Wichita Falls District Attorney

Nowadays you may know the name James V. Allred because the prison in our area is named after him. Before he would become the governor of Texas, he was a district attorney here in Wichita Falls. One of his most prominent cases was the Collier murder case and he believed the Wichita Falls Mayor got off easy. Allred also charged Collier's wife with murder since she was at the scene and did nothing to stop it. She actually got ten years in prison as an accomplice.

Frank Collier was technically the Wichita Falls Mayor until February 18th, 1925. He officially resigned four days after this murder that took place on Bluff and 17th Street here in Wichita Falls. Collier claimed he was in a fit of rage and did not remember murdering Robertson. Frank Collier died in 1953 and is apparently buried at Riverside Cemetery here in Wichita Falls.

Get our free mobile app

So never forget this Wichita Falls Valentine's Day story of the mayor who murdered his son-in-law on this holiday.