Trucker’s Wife Avoids Second Prison Term in Workers’ Compensation Fraud Case

Frances Hall, convicted in 2013 for the murder of her husband, trucking magnate Bill Hall Jr., has escaped a second prison sentence. Hall, from Helotes, Texas, pled guilty to charges related to a $9 million workers’ compensation fraud scheme. She was sentenced to 10 years of deferred adjudication, ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution, and must follow probation department recommendations for treatment.

From 2009 to 2016, Hall underreported payroll information to Texas Mutual Insurance Co., reducing insurance premiums for Bill Hall Jr. Trucking, the business she continued to run after her husband’s death. Initially indicted for a first-degree felony, Hall could have faced life in prison but instead pled guilty to a lesser second-degree felony charge.

Frances Hall’s legal troubles extend back to her 2013 conviction for her husband’s murder. Bill Hall Jr. was killed after Hall chased him with her Cadillac Escalade, leading to a fatal crash involving his Harley Davidson. The incident was reportedly motivated by a love triangle and gained national media attention. Hall was convicted in 2016 but received a reduced sentence, serving two years before her release in 2018.