Victim in Chain-Saw Case Was Slain by Prostitute, Teacher Reportedly Claims

University professor Max Bernard Franc reportedly has claimed that the 18-year-old Kansas City man he is accused of murdering and dismembering with a chain saw was actually killed by a young male prostitute in self-defense.

Authorities, however, declined to confirm the report, published Thursday by the Fresno Bee, that Franc contends the unidentified other man killed Tracy Leroy Nute during a fight in Franc’s West Hollywood apartment on Aug. 20.

Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Sterling Norris would not comment on exactly what investigators have been told by the 57-year-old California State University, Fresno, professor of public administration.

Norris would only say:

“At this time we are still of the opinion that there was not a second man, but we’re still investigating.”

That was more or less what Norris said two weeks ago after Franc was formally charged by the district attorney’s office with murdering and dismembering Nute, a male prostitute, whose head and torso were found on a rural Madera County road near Fresno. His arms and lower legs were subsequently found in the Valencia area.

At that time, Franc reportedly claimed that another man was responsible for the murder and was the one who had returned a bloody chain saw to a rental agency.

Norris said then there was “substantial evidence” that it was Franc who returned the saw.