Man accused of killing his wife in Hopkinton was previously arrested in domestic incident

HOPKINTON, R.I. (WLNE) — A man accused of shooting his wife late Friday in Hopkinton was arrested in May following a family dispute.

Rhode Island State Police said Sunday that 45-year-old Joseph Francis shot his wife, 44-year-old Stephanie Francis, late Friday in Hopkinton before causing a car crash in Richmond on Saturday.

According to a police report, Francis had previously been charged with multiple counts of domestic violence and a weapons offense following an incident with his wife at a residence on Subtown Road on May 20.

Authorities said Francis was found dead in his SUV after falling down an embankment during a chase following the investigation into a shooting at the same apartment on Subtown Road in Hopkinton.

Officials said Westerly police saw Francis driving on Route 1 just before 11 a.m. Saturday morning and attempted to stop him before he sped away.

Shortly thereafter, Francis was seen again in Charlestown, where he led police on a chase to Richmond and crashed in a wooded area off Route 3.

A state police response team confirmed that the crime scene was safe to enter, and coroners and other detectives found Francis dead in his SUV.

The cause of death has not yet been determined, police said.