Who Is Kevin Franke? Bio, Career, and His Role in the Ruby Franke Case
Kevin Franke is a civil engineering professor at Brigham Young University who became publicly known as the husband of “8 Passengers” YouTuber Ruby Franke. After Ruby’s 2023 arrest and conviction for child abuse, Kevin divorced her, gained custody of their younger children, and became a vocal advocate for child welfare reform.
Quick Information
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Kevin Franke |
| Profession | Civil/geotechnical engineering professor |
| Employer | Brigham Young University (BYU) |
| Known For | Husband of Ruby Franke; former co-star of “8 Passengers”; child welfare advocate |
| Based In | Utah, USA |
| Marital Status | Remarried (to Becca Bevan) |
| Children | Six, including daughter Shari and son Chad, both adults |
| Public Role Began | 2023, following Ruby Franke’s arrest |
Early Life & Background
Kevin Franke largely stayed out of the spotlight before 2023. Public information about his upbringing is limited, but what is confirmed is his long academic career: he holds a faculty position in BYU’s Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, specializing in geotechnical engineering. Years before the family became famous online, BYU’s own news office had already featured his professional work — he was one of a small group of U.S. professors selected for a geotechnical reconnaissance trip studying earthquake damage to infrastructure.
He and Ruby Franke married and eventually had six children together: Shari, Chad, and four younger children.
Career Journey
Academic career. Kevin’s primary, long-running career has been as a BYU engineering professor and researcher, a role that predates the family’s YouTube fame and that he has continued through the recent turmoil.
“8 Passengers.” Starting in the mid-2010s, Ruby Franke ran the “8 Passengers” YouTube channel, which documented the family’s daily life and grew to a large subscriber base. Kevin appeared in the videos as the family’s father but was not the channel’s primary creator or public face.
The 2023 crisis. In August 2023, Ruby Franke was arrested alongside her business associate, Jodi Hildebrandt, after one of the couple’s children was found severely malnourished and injured. Ruby later pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated child abuse. Kevin was not charged in the criminal case.
Divorce and custody. Kevin filed for divorce shortly after Ruby’s arrest; the divorce was finalized in March 2025. He was granted custody of the couple’s minor children.
Advocacy and public statements. Since the case broke, Kevin has spoken publicly — including in interviews and the Hulu docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, alongside adult children Shari and Chad — about the family’s experience. He has pushed Utah lawmakers for stronger oversight of the “life coaching” industry and reforms to the state’s child welfare system, and he filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Jodi Hildebrandt.
Personal life since. Kevin got engaged to Becca Bevan and remarried in late 2025; his daughter Shari shared photos from the wedding on Instagram.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
| Mid-2010s | “8 Passengers” YouTube channel gains a large following |
| Aug. 2023 | Ruby Franke arrested on child abuse charges |
| Late 2023 | Kevin files for divorce; “8 Passengers” channel goes dark |
| 2024 | Ruby Franke pleads guilty to aggravated child abuse |
| March 2025 | Kevin and Ruby’s divorce is finalized |
| 2025 | Kevin publicly advocates for child welfare and “life coaching” regulation in Utah |
| Late 2025 | Kevin marries Becca Bevan |
Life Before and After the Scandal
| Aspect | Before 2023 | After 2023 |
| Public profile | Private professor, occasional presence on family vlog | Widely recognized following national news coverage |
| Career | BYU engineering faculty | Continues BYU role; also public advocate |
| Family status | Married to Ruby Franke | Divorced Ruby; remarried Becca Bevan |
| Public focus | Family content, engineering research | Child welfare reform advocacy |
Net Worth
Kevin Franke’s net worth has not been independently verified or publicly disclosed. Estimates that circulate online for figures tied to the “8 Passengers” channel largely reflect Ruby Franke’s earnings from the platform rather than Kevin’s personal finances, and no reliable source has published a confirmed figure specifically for Kevin. Any number you see attached to his name should be treated as speculation, not fact.
Personal Life
Kevin has spoken candidly in interviews about the emotional difficulty of the situation, saying he still cares about Ruby even while feeling anger over what happened. He has focused on rebuilding family life with his children and, as of late 2025, remarried Becca Bevan. Out of respect for his younger children, who are minors, we haven’t included details about their day-to-day lives or custody arrangements beyond what’s already a matter of public court record.
Key Takeaway: Kevin Franke is a BYU engineering professor whose family became the subject of national news after his ex-wife, Ruby Franke, was convicted of child abuse. Since the case, he has focused on his academic career, gained custody of his younger children, remarried, and become an advocate for child welfare reform in Utah.
FAQs
Who is Kevin Franke?
He’s a Brigham Young University engineering professor and the ex-husband of Ruby Franke, the “8 Passengers” YouTuber convicted of child abuse.
Was Kevin Franke charged with a crime?
No. He was not charged in the criminal case against Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt.
Is Kevin Franke still married to Ruby Franke?
No. Their divorce was finalized in March 2025, and Kevin has since remarried.
Does Kevin Franke have custody of his children?
Yes, reports indicate he was granted custody of the couple’s younger children as part of the divorce settlement.
What does Kevin Franke do for a living?
He’s a civil/geotechnical engineering professor at BYU, a role he’s held independent of the family’s online presence.
Why is Kevin Franke in the news?
He became known publicly through the criminal case against his ex-wife and has since spoken out and advocated for child welfare reforms.
Conclusion
Kevin Franke is a Brigham Young University engineering professor who gained public attention after his family became involved in a widely reported child abuse case involving his former wife, Ruby Franke. Following the case, Kevin continued his academic work, received custody of his younger children, remarried, and became involved in child welfare advocacy efforts in Utah.
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