TAYLORSVILLE, Utah, March 21, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have arrested a third teenager in connection with the death of a 21-year-old Taylorsville resident whose body was found Tuesday in a remote area of Utah County.
Police say Alexzia “Alex” Franco was abducted in Taylorsville on Sunday, and witnesses reported hearing a possible gunshot as a vehicle sped away. Two days later, Franco’s body was found with a single gunshot wound.
Taylorsville police arrested a 17-year-old boy Thursday morning for his alleged involvement in Franco’s death.
Police previous arrested two other teen boys, ages 17 and 15, earlier this week and booked them into the Salt Lake Valley Detention Center for investigation of multiple felony charges related to the homicide.
Police say Franco had been talking with one of the three juveniles now in custody about purchasing a firearm. The three boys met up with Franco near his home in the area of 3800 West and 5700 South but intended to rob him rather than sell him the firearm, according to police.
Franco got into a white Jeep Liberty driven by one of the juveniles and an altercation ensued, leading to the fatal shot being fired by one of the teenagers, according to police.
After the shooting, the teens drove to a desert area in Utah County, where Franco’s body later was recovered, police said.
Police say the case was neither gang- nor drug-related and was not a hate crime.
“We are grateful for the diligent investigative work by our detectives in helping to resolve this case with the speed in which they did,” Taylorsville Police Chief Brady Cottam. “We also greatly appreciate the public’s assistance and the awareness of witnesses and their quick reporting of this crime. We hope that the resolution of the investigation will bring some peace and comfort to those close to the victim, family and friends.”
