Vera Katheryn Storms Franklin, known as Kate, was 25 when she was killed by gunfire on June 9, 2024, in Cottage Grove, Oregon. A Creswell resident, she was born September 25, 1998, and is described as White/Caucasian. The Cottage Grove Police Department opened a death investigation; as of this writing no information about suspects or arrests has been released.

Kate worked at a nursing facility and was remembered for her compassion, creativity, and empathy. She enjoyed journaling and drawing, did well academically despite English being her second language, and her family asked that donations to a ministry supporting widows and orphans be made in lieu of flowers.

The investigation is ongoing and few case details have been shared publicly. If anyone has information about what happened in Cottage Grove on June 9, 2024, please come forward.