Franklin Bennett Roof: Where Is Dylann Roof’s Father Now?

Franklin Bennett Roof is the father of Dylann Storm Roof. Franklin Bennett Roof’s son Dylann Roof is known as the perpetrator of the Charleston church shooting. Dylann is responsible for killing nine people and injuring a tenth person, all African Americans who were present during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Franklin Bennett Roof: Bio Summary

Who Is Dylann Roof’s Father?

Dylann Roof’s father is called Franklin Bennett Roof. Franklin’s nickname is Benn. He worked as a carpenter and a construction contractor. His parents are Joseph and Lucy Roof. Details of Franklin’s early life are not available. Franklin was married to Amelia “Amy” Cowles, who was a bartender.

Franklin Bennett Roof and Amelia Cowles’ marriage ended in a divorce. Despite being divorced, Franklin and Amelia had temporarily reconciled at the time their son Dylann Roof was born. Dylann was born on April 3, 1994, in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. Dylann was 5 years when his father Franklin remarried.

Franklin married a woman named Paige Mann (née Hastings). Franklin is said to have been verbally and physically abusive toward Paige. Paige filed for a divorce. After ten years of marriage, Franklin and Paige got divorced. Franklin Bennett Roof hired a private detective to follow Paige even after the divorce, per daily mail.

Franklin reportedly subjected Paige to a ‘pattern of control and mental manipulation’ that ended with a vicious assault. Paige had bruises on her body that were allegedly caused by Franklin. According to Paige, Franklin battered her on the back of the head in 2008 and made her ‘world fall apart’.

Franklin allegedly shredded Paige’s self-esteem during their ten-year marriage. He kept her in a ‘virtual prison’ by calling her several times a day and demanding to know what she was doing. Franklin told Paige on several occasions that she was lazy and spent too much money. Per reports, he once said: ‘You’re not a very good maid but I’ll keep you around’.

ALSO, READ: Amelia Cowles: Truth About The Mother Of Dylann Roof

In addition to Dylann Roof, Franklin Bennett Roof is the father of two other children, Morgan Roof and Amber Roof. Dylann Roof was very close to his stepmother Paige. Per daily mail, Paige revealed that she ‘raised (Franklin’s) kids from a very young age, took them to all of their activities, and Benn’s kids have spent almost every weekend with me.

“Benn travels a great deal, usually four days a week, so I would always care for and raise his kids”. Paige even quit working after Franklin wanted her to be a stay-at-home mother. Despite her “great reluctance, Franklin moved the family to the Florida Keys, away from her family, friends, and support network”.

In Paige’s affidavit to the court, she wrote that their ‘fighting and arguing became worse’ and Franklin “constantly belittled me about how lazy I was”. She wrote: “After we moved to Florida our marriage really began to deteriorate when Benn became so controlling. He controlled my whereabouts, the checkbook, and everything about my life.”

“On September 20, 2008, my whole world fell apart when Benn and I got into an argument. Benn violently pushed me to the ground and hit me in the back of my head.” Franklin even took the credit card that was Paige’s only source of income. He also said he was “cutting off the electricity and taking my car.”

Paige claimed he told her he would “relinquish his rights to our daughter if I would waive child support”. Paige also wrote that she was ‘so scared of him that I knew I had to get out of this violent situation’. She moved back to Columbia with Morgan, leaving Dylann with his father. The court file contains other documents filed in support of Paige’s claims.

Franklin Bennett Roof’s ex-wife Amelia Cowles was supposed to be with Dylann Roof and his sister Amber Roof at some times. Dylann stayed with Paige and Franklin more often than with his biological mother Amelia. Paige won custody of her and Franklin’s daughter Morgan. Franklin had to pay $570 per month in child support.

ALSO, READ: Morgan Roof: What Happened To Dylann Roof’s Sister?

In his filings, Franklin Bennett Roof denied some of the allegations against him. He made it known that he did not object to Paige having custody of Morgan but he could not pay much child support as his business had been ‘living off borrowed money for over the last year’. Franklin’s son Dylann Roof who was close to his stepmother Paige was affected by the divorce.

Dylann Roof did not finish school and spent his time playing video games and taking drugs. Dylann became a mass murderer. He was convicted of perpetrating the Charleston church shooting. Per daily mail, Dylann’s father Franklin provided the gun Dylann used to massacre the nine churchgoers in Charleston.

According to CNN, two law enforcement officials revealed that “investigators did a trace of the handgun used” in the shooting and “determined that it was a .45-caliber handgun” Dylann Roof bought from a Charleston gun store. However, Dylann confessed that he committed the shooting in hopes of igniting a race war.

On April 10, 2017, he was sentenced to nine consecutive sentences of life without parole after formally pleading guilty to state murder charges

Where Is Dylann Roof’s Father, Franklin Bennett Roof Now?

Dylann Roof’s father Franklin Bennett Roof is believed to be living in Columbia, South Carolina. He has lived a private life away from the spotlight. Franklin is said to have received threatening phone calls. This threat comes in the wake of his son Dylann’s arrest for the killing of nine black churchgoers. Franklin called the police to his Columbia, S.C., home.

The New York Daily reported that according to police records: “The victim states that individuals claiming to be with the Black Panther Party have called several times and left messages stating, ‘I’m coming to see you real soon, buddy boy.”

“The victim states that another individual claiming to be from the Nation of Islam called and stated that they wanted to interview him and make sure his whole family was there. The victim states he believes that these phone calls are implied threats.”

“The victim states that whenever his phone is turned on, that he is constantly receiving calls from restricted numbers that are making harassing comments with implied threats to harm, with the intent to intimidate him and his family.”

“He has to keep his cellphone turned off in order to stop the calls from coming in. The victim is concerned for his safety as well as his family safety.”