Michel Fournier, 71, is under arrest for second-degree murder after his wife, 61-year-old Susan Lane-Fournier, was found dead in Mount Hood National Forest months after filing for divorce. Fournier is being held without bail following the discovery of Lane-Fournier’s body on Friday, which was ruled a homicide by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office on Saturday.
The arrest came shortly after the body was found. Lane-Fournier had been reported missing on November 22, and authorities initially believed she was a “missing hiker” who had gotten lost with her two Malinois-mix dogs. Her truck had been found, prompting an intensive search by authorities, Law&Crime reported.
“From Saturday through Tuesday, dozens of search volunteers, drone teams, and air-scent and trailing K9s spent more than 800 search hours looking for Ms. Lane-Fournier,” the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said. However, after four days of searching and difficult weather conditions, the operation was suspended.
Despite the official search being called off, friends and family were skeptical of the missing hiker theory. “She’s ex-search and rescue in California, so she’s well aware of safety procedures when it comes to being out in the woods,” Lane-Fournier’s son, Dakota Lane, said while authorities continued searching.
He added, “Short of a large pack of coyotes or a very large angry bear, there’s nothing that will get between her and those dogs.” Lane-Fournier’s friend, James Evans, who also doubted the missing person claim, found her body under a tarp.
“When I reached down to pick up the tarp, I looked up and I saw a pair of boots,” Evans told CBS affiliate KOIN. Lane-Fournier’s dogs remain missing. Lane-Fournier had filed for divorce from Michel Fournier on October 31, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
Her filing detailed an “irremediable breakdown of their marriage,” and an attempt to serve Fournier with divorce papers on November 8 was unsuccessful. Following the tragic discovery, Lane-Fournier’s family and friends have focused on seeking justice.
They created a Facebook group during the initial search, where they wrote, “Always Our Phoenix,” referencing her nickname “Phoenix.” Lane-Fournier’s brother, Steven Lane, expressed his family’s suspicions about the situation but urged restraint in public speculation to avoid hindering the ongoing investigation. A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Monday night to honor Lane-Fournier.