SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 26, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Two 17-year-old boys, arrested in connection with the March 17 shooting death of 21-year-old Alexzia “Alex” Franco in Taylorsville, have been charged as adults and now face murder charges.
A third juvenile arrested in the case, who has turned 16 since the shooting, has not been charged as an adult at this point, so his name has not been released.
Charged as adults are Rohan Sharoon, of Salt Lake City, and Pedro Alexis Romero Bustos, of West Valley City.
Sharoon and Romero Bustos each face charges of:
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony
- Abuse or desecration of a human body, a third-degree felony
Sharoon faces one additional charge:
- Purchase, transfer, possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony
A police statement by a friend of Franco says the two of them were at a Taylorsville residence, “waiting for some people Franco knew to come speak to him regarding a firearm sale. (The friend) stated that when Franco’s associates arrived, he got into the vehicle, a white SUV. (The friend) stated that there were three males inside and they appeared to be arguing with Franco.”
Franco’s friend told police “that the vehicle drove off at a high rate of speed and (the friend) heard a loud noise which sounded like a gunshot.” The friend later used social media to identify the driver of the vehicle, a white Jeep Liberty, as Sharoon, the affidavits say.
Officers later responded to a Salt Lake City residence and found a vehicle consistent with the Jeep Liberty, except that the lower portion of the vehicle had been painted blue, and was still drying and showed brush strokes.
“The inside of the vehicle was wet and a blood stain could be seen on the floor and seatbelt of the rear passenger seat,” arrest documents say.
“While preparing search warrants for the address where the vehicle was located, officers were informed that “Rohan Sharoon had reported to the Taylorsville Police Department to turn himself in. Sharoon led officers to an area off of SR-73 in Utah County where the body of Alex Franco was located.
“Franco was determined to have been killed by a gunshot to the left side of his head at close range.”
Sharoon identified the youngest of the three males as the shooter, the affidavit says. Sharoon said the three had driven to the west desert in Utah County, where Franco’s body was removed from the vehicle and left in a field.
The youngest teen, post Miranda and with his father listening by phone, told police that Sharoon “told them he had a ‘play’ to sell a gun in Taylorsville,” and admitted to painting the Jeep, charging documents say.
Romero Bustos told police, post Miranda and with his father present, that Sharoon also told him about the “play,” and that, upon arrival, they decided to rob Franco.
“Franco entered the vehicle on the rear passenger side and gave Sharoon money,” the affidavits say.
“Sharoon then told Franco to ‘get the f*** out.'” Franco and the youngest teen got into an argument in the back seat, and when Romero Bustos turned to look back, he was pepper sprayed, he told investigators.
“Romero Bustos stated he then heard a loud bang and saw Franco slouched in the backseat with his head down and to the left,” the affidavit says.
Romero Bustos said he and the others drove to Utah County, where they left Franco’s body, and “admitted that they split the money they took from Franco, and that he received $100.”
A female friend of the youngest boy told police she had allowed him to borrow her Jeep. He allegedly later told her he shot the victim because Franco was going to rob him. A relative reportedly suggested the idea of painting the Jeep, then burning it, the affidavits say.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office determined that Sharoon and Romero Bustos will be tried as adults.
