Teenagers charged as adults for allegedly shooting, killing 21-year-old Alex Franco
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — Two teenagers who were arrested in connection to the shooting death of 21-year-old Alex Franco have been charged as adults, according to court documents.
Because of their ages, ABC4.com is not releasing the names of the juveniles, but the two that were charged are both 17 years old.
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One of the 17-year-olds is being charged with five felonies, including first-degree murder, first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree obstruction of justice, third-degree abuse or desecration of a human body and second-degree purchase, transfer, possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person.
The other 17-year-old is being charged with first-degree murder, first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree obstruction of justice and third-degree abuse or desecration of a human body.
According to the probable cause declaration in court documents, the teenagers were planning to meet with Franco to sell him a gun.
Someone associated with Franco reportedly told police she saw three males inside a white SUV before Franco got into the vehicle. She said it looked like they were arguing with Franco before the vehicle sped off and she heard “a loud noise which sounded like a gunshot,” court documents said.
Surveillance video obtained by police captured the vehicle traveling away from the scene, as well as a loud sound consistent with a gunshot and the sound of squealing tires, as stated in the probable cause declaration.
According to court documents, police found a vehicle matching the description of the one involved in the incident at a residence in Salt Lake City. The documents said the car looked like it had been painted blue, as it still had “visible brush strokes” and drying paint.
“The inside of the vehicle was wet and a blood stain could be seen on the floor and seatbelt of the rear passenger seat,” documents said.
According to the probable cause statement, one of the 17-year-olds turned himself into the Taylorsville Police Department while police were preparing search warrants for the address where the vehicle was found.
That teenager also reportedly led officers to the location in Utah County where the juveniles left the body of Franco, who was “determined to have been killed by a gunshot to the left side of his head at close range,” according to the documents.
Based on what the juveniles told police, the driver of the vehicle was 17, another passenger was 17, and the individual who shot Franco was 15. The 15-year-old was also said to be the one who took Franco’s body out of the car and left it in a field, according to documents.
The 15-year-old admitted to painting the car afterward, documents said.
On the day of the incident, one of the 17-year-olds told police the teenagers decided to rob Franco “upon arrival,” according to the probable cause declaration.
The 15-year-old suspect and Franco reportedly got into an argument in the backseat, and when the 17-year-old passenger turned around, he was pepper-sprayed. He then told police he heard a loud bang and saw Franco “slouched in the backseat.”
The teenagers split the money they got from Franco. One of the 17-year-olds got $100.
Someone associated with the 15-year-old told police that the 15-year-old said Franco was going to rob the teenagers, which is why they shot him. That person reportedly helped paint the vehicle after being told to do so by an uncle of one of the other suspects. The uncle also suggested the teenagers burn the car.
According to documents, a relative of one of the 17-year-olds wanted to keep him out of trouble, so he reportedly went with him to meet with the 15-year-old and the associate at a library, where they “discussed what to do with the Jeep Liberty.”
One of the 17-year-olds was on probation, which is why he was considered a restricted person. Documents said he is also subject to “an enhanced penalty” because he was previously convicted of an offense.
Both 17-year-olds have been ordered to be held without bail.
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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