An American mother of three was shot dead by robbers who raided her ranch in Ecuador, where she and her husband built their own “humble Shangri-La.”
Francesca Williams, of Poway, California, was shot in the back – near her heart – when the group of men tied up and beat up her husband, stabbed her father and terrorized her three young daughters as they rummaged through their house.
The five surviving family members endured “horrible trauma” following the invasion, in which 44-year-old Francesca – remembered as the “light of their lives” – was killed on May 20.
Michael Williams, her husband, now recalls the horrifying moment when he realized their idyllic rural farm in Vilcabamba, Ecuador, was being invaded.
Francesca Williams, from Poway, California, lived in Colorado before moving to Ecuador with her family. But they experienced a terrifying burglary, in which Francesca was shot dead
Francesca Williams, her husband Michael and their three daughters Rachel, Renee and Rebekah. They all lived on the farm in Vilcabamba, Ecuador
He told KDVR“We need to navigate through this sadness we’re going through. There are a lot of different stages of this right now, we are at a heightened level of fear and security because we are not in a safe place.
“We never thought people would risk us.
‘We are so far away. It’s a three-mile drive to and from. And getting in and out is incomprehensible.’
Williams was outside when he felt that he had been hit on the head with a rock – and then Rachel, a daughter of Francesca, saw her grandfather lying on the ground with strange men fighting them off.
Then she heard shots. The men entered the house and ordered her and her other sister Renee around – asking in Spanish where the ‘great aunt’ was.
Rachel said that’s when she realized they might have the wrong house because no one fitting that description had ever owned their property.
Francesca Williams, of Poway, California, was shot in the back – close to her heart – when the group of men tied up and beat up her husband, stabbed her father and terrorized her three daughters as they rummaged through their home
Francesca was killed, while her husband and father (pictured) were beaten and stabbed during the ordeal. The daughters were physically unharmed, but withstood the gruesome house attack
Michael, meanwhile, was tied up by the robbers as they snooped around the house and stole their belongings before finally leaving.
It was then that he got up and searched for his wife – who he believed had been shot.
Michael said, “I found my wife and she was murdered. We ran down the hill, into our car and took her to emergency services, but it was too late for her.”
Their other daughter Rebekah had seen what unfolded and fled to a nearby jungle area.
On how Francesca did everything she could to help her family when the robbers arrived, Michael said, “I think they saw Francesca as a threat and she was physically capable of handling that man.
“I think it could have been a lot worse if she didn’t intervene. She probably did her best to make sure we were okay.’
The family moved to the countryside from their home in Colorado and settled in the countryside, raising animals and living in the countryside.
Marianna Bacilla, Francesca’s adoptive mother who lives in California, launched a fundraising page for her daughter in the wake of the tragedy.
Francesca often shared images of her scenic life in Ecuador. It is unclear if this is her farm in the photo
Francesca (left) pictured with one of her daughters
The GoFundMe read, “On Saturday night, May 20, my daughter Francesca Williams was killed in a robbery at her farm in Ecuador.
“My three granddaughters are physically unharmed, but the trauma is immeasurable. My son-in-law, Michael, was severely abused.
“Francesca’s biological father, John, whom she cared for, was stabbed several times. Both Michael and John are out of the hospital and are doing well physically.
“They have all endured terrible trauma. Their Ecuadorian community fully embraces and cares for them until they all fly home to the US at the end of May.
“We are working with the US Consulate in Ecuador to return Francesca’s body to the United States.
She wrote of her daughter, “Francesca was the light of our lives. She was a devoted wife and mother of three beautiful daughters. She graduated from Poway High School and UCSD with a BA in Linguistics.
She was fluent in French, Spanish and Lithuanian. She was a translator and an avid writer and illustrator who had published her first book “The King’s Magic”. In the small town of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, Francesca’s family lived on a small farm they were building themselves, raising chickens, goats, horses, pigs, ducks and guinea fowl and working towards a goal of sustainable agriculture. – It was their humble Shangri-La.
Her family is returning to their home in Colorado. Francesca will be buried at Riverside Cemetery in Kremmling, CO.
“She will be buried next to my sister Stephanie, Francesca’s biological mother who died in 2021, shortly after Mark, my late husband.
Thank you for understanding the need to share my heart and my pain with you. We appreciate your support.’