The disappearance of Susan "Phoenix" Lane-Fournier, a 61-year-old woman from Welches, Oregon, has taken a tragic and shocking turn. Nearly a month after filing for divorce, her husband, 71-year-old Michel Fournier, has been arrested and charged with her murder.
On Friday morning, deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a body found near East Highway 26 and East Miller Road. By Saturday, the state medical examiner identified the deceased as Lane-Fournier and confirmed her death as a homicide. Fournier was arrested on the same day and booked into the Clackamas County Jail on charges of second-degree murder. He is being held without bail.
Lane-Fournier was reported missing on November 22 after failing to show up for work. According to the Sheriff's Office, she had reportedly gone hiking with her two large Malinois-mix dogs in the Mount Hood National Forest near Welches. Her disappearance sparked a multi-day search, which ended on Tuesday when efforts to locate her were suspended. A friend of Lane-Fournier later discovered her truck parked near the Green Canyon Way Trail along East Salmon River Road.
Court records show Lane-Fournier had filed for divorce on October 31, citing "irreconcilable differences" that caused an "irremediable breakdown" of her 12-year marriage to Fournier. The couple, who married on May 5, 2012, had been living in Welches. At the time of her disappearance and subsequent death, their 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. It’s something we all talked about."
Lane-Fournier’s two Malinois-mix dogs remain missing, adding another layer of mystery to the case. Investigators are urging anyone with information, particularly regarding Fournier's whereabouts in the days leading up to Lane-Fournier's death, to contact the tip line at 503-723-4949 or submit information online, referencing CCSO case No. #24-024698.
This case has shaken the Welches community, as residents grapple with the tragic loss of a neighbor and the unsettling allegations against her husband. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover more details surrounding the events that led to this devastating outcome.
