Kevin Franke alleged his estranged wife Ruby Franke’s close friend and business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, was possessed as he got candid about being her personal “exorcist.”
“She believed she was being tormented and haunted by shadow figures every night,” the architect explained in a newly released interview from Utah’s Washington County Attorney’s Office.
The family patriarch claimed Hildebrandt allegedly admitted to Ruby that she was possessed in March 2021, describing the former mental health counselor as a “hot mess.”
It wasn’t until May 2021 when Kevin, 45, and Ruby, 42, decided to take a trip to Hildebrandt’s Ivins, UT., home that he became convinced something sinister was happening behind the scenes.
“I’m a smart guy. I’m an engineer — designed and helped build some really big stuff. I’m a college professor. I can’t explain some of the stuff that happened while we were there,” he continued.
“Like crashes in the basement while we were talking upstairs and plates in the kitchen just flying off by themselves — full speed — smashing on the wall and falling to the floor by themselves,” Kevin added. “I can’t explain it, but I saw it with my own eyes.”
In a bid to help Hildebrandt, 54, the couple called a bishop who would later spend almost every night for months attempting to “cast the demons out” of the home.
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But in August 2021, the Bishop lost all hope and suggested Hildebrandt move in with the Franke family instead.
“Ruby was convinced that we could intervene and help Jodi. I didn’t want anything to do with it,” Kevin explained.
Reflecting on Hildebrandt moving in, he continued, “It turned into just crazy house. The moment she showed up at my house, the weirdest crap started happening.”
Kevin alleged he witnessed “lights turning on and off,” the sounds of people walking in walls, the sound of footprints on the ceiling and floating objects.
As Hildebrandt’s alleged possession continued, he decided to step in.
“I became the resident exorcist,” Kevin said. “It was my job, go and give her blessings — whenever she started going in a trance and going into possession, which started to be a lot.”
As the trances escalated to occurring every hour, Kevin alleged Ruby volunteered herself to stay in the same room with Hildebrandt.
“[Jodi and Ruby] started sleeping in the same bed,” he added. “Then [Ruby] started having, like, trances and stuff. I would say it was probably around September where she believed that she was going to heaven and seeing God and Jesus and talking with them.”
From there, Kevin would see his wife and Hildebrandt “lock themselves in a room for four or five hours,” explaining Ruby would eventually come out and tell him about “this amazing vision” she had and the “work” she was given from God.
Eventually, Kevin decided to get an “in-home separation” from Ruby ahead of filing for divorce in November 2023 following the momfluencer and Hildebrandt’s arrest for aggravated child abuse on Aug. 30, 2023.
The former “8 Passengers” YouTube host has since been found guilty and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison after she admitted to torturing her minor children. Hildebrandt received the same sentence as a judge claimed she “terrorized” the children.
