A deadly discovery in the case of a missing Green Country couple

Authorities find a missing couple. The couple was last seen delivering the Tulsa World newspaper early Thursday morning. Their van was found off US Highway 51 near Coweta, with the woman dead inside

Friday, July 29th 2005, 10:18 am

By: News On 6

Authorities find a missing couple. The couple was last seen delivering the Tulsa World newspaper early Thursday morning. Their van was found off US Highway 51 near Coweta, with the woman dead inside and her husband in need of medical help.

News on 6 reporter Omar Villafranca says Duane and Francis Cramer usually wake up early to work their newspaper delivery route. They were reported missing Thursday afternoon after their family didn't hear from them.

Around 7:30 AM Friday, Jeff Goodnight was on his way to work noticed the reflection of a taillight in a wooded area. He called Coweta Police and investigators quickly found the van. The couple had been missing since 3 AM Thursday, almost 30 hours.

Medical crews found Francis Cramer dead in the passenger seat and her husband Duane was still alive in the driver's seat. He was taken to a Tulsa hospital. The vehicle coasted more than 800 feet before hitting a tree head on and almost ended up in a ditch.

The van was several dozen yards from the road and very well hidden in the brush. Jeff Goodnight: â€œevery morning when I go to work, I kind of look off in that direction looking for deer and just happened to see the back end of the vehicle."

Coweta Police are not sure what caused the accident and there is no word on the man's condition. Coweta Police say when Duane was transported, he was alert.

Family members told police that Duane Cramer had blacked out behind the wheel before.