What happened to Connie Francis’ brother? Singer experienced several personal tragedies before her comeback in 1981

Pretty Little Baby star Connie Francis passed away recently at the age of 87.  

From getting r*ped to never getting to marry her true love, Francis suffered from several heartbreaks and obstacles. 

Amid news of her death, searches about her personal life and challenges have started surfacing on the internet. Her brother, George Franconero's, death was a major tragedy. He was murdered right outside his house. 

George was a former law partner of Gov. Brendan Byrne.

Here's what we know about Connie Francis' brother's murder

George Franconero, Connie's brother, was attacked and killed in 1981. At the age of 40, two men shot him to death, pointing their guns at his head. He was reportedly clearing ice from his car at around 9 AM when those two assassins targeted him right in front of his home in North Caldwell, according to a report by UPI.

At the time of the tragedy, Police Chief William Moore shared information about the murder, confirming that the gunman shot at his head using small-caliber revolvers. He also noted that Arlene, Franconero's wife, first found George in that terrifying state. However, she thought George might have met with an accident by falling on the slippery ice.

According to Moore, the same vehicle that had dropped them off just a few hundred feet from George's residence picked them up later. After the drop-off, the car took a round across the block again.

As UPI reported, Essex County Prosecutor Donald Coburn recalled the tragedy, explaining,

"Two men were seen leaving the scene shortly after the shooting took place."

The prosecutor and police chief did not label the murder as a "hit," the outlet added.

Previously, George informed the federal authorities that he was at risk due to his role in multiple mob-related investigations. Amid the fear, he also testified during a state investigation. It was conducted to look into how organized crime had infiltrated dental plans sponsored by a union.

At the time of his killing, George's kids were attending their school. During that time, his children were 13 and 11 years old.

The police authorities found his body in his business suit paired with an overcoat. Following the investigation, the concerned department could not retrieve any weapon used in murdering him.

Just ahead of his demise, Franconero was appealing a February 1980 state conviction. It was for obstruction of justice and filing a false bank application. The case was also tied to a land deal, which was eventually used in developing Morris County's Rockaway Town Square Mall.

In 1979, his legal career took a setback as he was suspended from practicing law. The decision came into effect after he pleaded guilty to a bank scheme. Soon, court documents revealed that Franconero had been actively working with the FBI and the U.S. Organized Crime Strike Force. Though he admitted to being "in fear of his life," he turned down an opportunity to enter the federal witness protection program with his family and assume a new identity.

Later, prosecutors ultimately did not ask him to attend the court as a witness due to the risk to his safety.

Connie Francis opened up about getting r*ped

In a November 9, 1981, conversation from The Times's print archive, digitally published by The New York Times, Connie opened her heart up about the night someone pointed a knife at her at a motel in Westbury, L.I., and r*ped her.

She recalled,

"Every face seemed to be that face - for many months, many years. They never found him."

For years, she "could not pronounce" the word r*pe. The incident traumatized her until she decided to make a much-needed comeback at the Westbury Music Fair.

Recounting those miserable days, she admitted breaking down in tears and secluding herself from others.

Francis submitted a lawsuit against the Howard Johnson's motel because her room did not have any safe locks on the door. The terrifying incident eventually led to a major lawsuit, where she won almost $1.5 million in a legal battle.

After the assault, her third husband, Joseph Garzilli, parted ways. Her life was shattered emotionally after her younger brother was murdered. Unfortunately, these moments were not the end of all. At one point, she lost her voice and had to undergo surgery to restart singing.

While chatting with the outlet, she confessed to visiting a psychiatrist. Recalling those visits, she stated,

"I went to three - no, five, five. They didn't help. At last I met a man a few months ago I could talk to. He had been through psychotherapy for five years. I told him everything, things I couldn't tell even my husband or the psychiatrists. He began to cry. I cried too. I hadn't cried before. The self-loathing and the shame I felt for years went away. I felt this wonderful relief. I needed - oh, my God, I needed - to talk about it."

Despite experiencing stardom and an illustrious musical career, the Stupid Cupid hitmaker faced heartbreaking battles at different phases of her life. According to Growing Bolder, she thanked her family and friends for standing beside her during her dark times. 

Though she witnessed multiple ups and downs in her life, she did not step back from moving ahead and hoping for a better future. In 2010, she became a National Spokesperson for the trauma campaign of Mental Health America. With her influence and fame, she advocated for those in need.

The outlet reported the songstress sharing,

"This campaign will address itself to the millions of people in America who are currently suffering from the deleterious effects of depression and trauma of all kinds whether it be the trauma experienced by victims of violent crime, rape, domestic abuse, loss of a loved one, divorce, loss of finances or a job, and significantly in the largely-unattended area of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) experienced by our returning veterans of our two wars."

Francis is no more today. However, she spoke about her vision of being remembered years before. She explained,

"Not so much for the heights I have reached but for the depths from which I have come."

Her father often meddled in her life, eventually leading to distress. He intervened in her love life and forced her to end her relationship with singer Bobby Darin. In 1983, he forcibly pushed her daughter into a psychiatric facility. Misdiagnosed with manic depression, she was later subjected to 17 involuntary commitments over the following nine years, spanning five states.

According to a 2023 report by The Jersey Sound, the Wishing It Was You singer dedicated herself to protecting and promoting the rights of victims. 

Connie Francis' death was announced on Thursday

Connie's friend, Ron Roberts, confirmed the news of her demise on Facebook. The news of her death comes some days after she was hospitalized for suffering from "extreme pain," a People report confirmed.

On July 17, 2025, Roberts posted on Facebook, 

"It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night."

Roberts further expressed his grief, saying,

"I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news."

He concluded the statement, adding that further information would follow later.