Sentencing delayed for Indio man convicted of teacher’s murder

The sentencing of a Indio man convicted of killing his girlfriend and Palm Desert High School math teacher, Jill Grant has been delayed until July 7. Michael John Franco was found guilty of first degree murder and special circumstance allegations of torture and committing the murder during the commission of a kidnapping in April.

The delay was due to the presiding judge, Anthony R. Villalobos being on leave due to an injury. Franco’s public defender, Dante Gomez, will make a motion for a new trial at a hearing on June 16.

Franco is facing life in prison without parole with his conviction. He appeared in court in a orange jumpsuit and made glances to the audience when attorneys were in chambers with the judge.

Grant’s brother Michael Thomas expressed some frustration with the process. While he did not fault the judge’s injury for the delay, he did express displeasure with the planned motion for a new trial by Gomez. Thomas said he and others were prepared to make impact statements and simply wanted closure to the case.

“We want to be able to be done with this, and having Franco gone for life, I don’t have to think about him anymore,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about parole, I don’t have to worry about continuances or what’s happening…I don’t have to be in that state of flux anymore.”

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