Nathan​ and Richard wanted to create the "perfect crime." Therefore, they planned the murder for months, approximately seven months. They didn't have any reason to kill Robert Franks, in fact, they picked the person to kill last. Robert Franks was a 14 year old boy who had a very rich family- his dad was a millionaire in Chicago. As Robert Franks was walking home from Harvard School For Boys, Loeb and Leopold drove up to him and convinced him to come into the car. He was not only the neighbor of Loeb, but also his second cousin. Robert was convinced to get into the car because Loeb said he wanted to discuss a new tennis racket, and Robert was fascinated with tennis. A few minutes after Robert entered the car, he was hit several times with the chisel, and then a piece of cloth was stuffed in his mouth.(Although it's not known who struck Robert with the chisel, most believe that it was Loeb because people believe Leopold was driving the rental car.) 



They planned to dump the body in a culvert that wasn't easily noticeable. They decided to dump the body by Wolf Lake. They figured this would be a good place because it was hidden and Leopold had experience with the surroundings because he watched birds there. In order for the body to be harder to identify, they poured hydrochloric acid on his face and body. 



After they dumped the body, they burned the evidence (the robe they moved his body with, their clothes that were filled with blood, etc). Also, they called Roberts parents and said that their son was kidnapped. They also mailed the ransom note to the family that day. Leopold and Loeb never got the money from the family due to the fact that somebody had come across the body and it was quickly identified. After it was identified, the parents were notified and clearly knew that their child was murdered, not just kidnapped.  When Leopold and Loeb found out that somebody had identified the body, they quickly burned their typewriter that they wrote the ransome note with.