Two teenagers arrested in connection to possible abduction-turned-homicide of 21-year-old
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — On Tuesday, officials with the Taylorsville Police Department confirmed they found the body of the 21-year-old who was possibly abducted on Sunday.
Taylorsville Police said two teenagers — a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old — were arrested and booked into the Salt Lake Valley Detention Center. The two teenagers were arrested on multiple felony charges in connection to the homicide.
PREVIOUS STORY: Family of 21-year-old who was possibly abducted seeks answers
In a press release, Taylorsville Police confirmed the identity of the body to be Alexzia Franco — who police said “goes by the name Alex and identifies as male” — and officials are now investigating the alleged abduction as a homicide. Franco’s family spoke to ABC4.com on Monday and said they believed Franco was the victim.
“The investigation so far has not revealed that this was a hate crime,” Lt. Aaron Cheshire of Taylorsville Police said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Officials said Franco’s body was found Tuesday morning in a “remote desert area in Utah County” with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound. Cheshire elaborated during the press conference and said Franco’s body was found in a western part of Lehi.
“It was confirmed by the State Medical Examiner’s Office on Tuesday that the body found was the person who was reported as abducted,” TVPD said in the press release.
According to Taylorsville Police, detectives believe one of the arrested teenagers to be responsible for the shooting of Franco.
Officials are still working on reaching out to possible witnesses and others who were in the area at the time of the alleged homicide, as stated in the press release.
“We believe that there was possibly another person in the vehicle,” Cheshire said at the conference.
Taylorsville Police said the incident happened around 4:15 p.m. on March 17 after Franco got into a white Jeep Liberty around the area of 3800 West 5700 South. Witnesses reported hearing a possible gunshot.
Cheshire said the incident took place near Franco’s residence, and said officials believe a shot was fired almost immediately after he got into the car. Police said video footage from the scene “clearly identified the sound reported by witnesses as a gunshot.”
Cheshire said Franco knew at least one of the individuals in the car and got into the vehicle willingly, but investigators are still working to determine the cause and motive of the shooting.
Police found a vehicle on Monday that they believed to be the Jeep involved in the incident and arrested the two teenagers after further investigation. Cheshire said officials executed some search warrants and the vehicle was located in Salt Lake County. It was positively identified as being involved in the case.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Cheshire said the weapon used had not yet been located.
Officials are still investigating and said the case is still active and open.
The press conference can be viewed below.
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