Kate hired Franco to break up Bo and Hope so Billie could have Bo. When she realized he was involved with the mob, she held it over his head, which is why why he tried to take her out with a poker on his wedding day to Sami (for a green card). That’s when Lucas burst into the mansion and shot Franco dead, and Kate framed Sami and sent her to a prison, and eventually to death row. At the last minute Lucas barged in and confessed to Franco’s murder, but Kate soon claimed that Roberto, Franco’s old mob friend, confessed to killing Franco, and all murder charges against Sami and Lucas were dropped.