Alexzia "Alex" Franco, a 21-year-old white transgender man from Taylorsville, Utah, was remembered by his family as funny, goofy, and caring. His mother called him her "pride and joy," and his stepmother recalled how he loved and protected his 13 siblings, who all looked up to him. His family would later say that a piece of their hearts was missing and that an empty chair would always remain at their table.
On March 17, 2024, Franco arranged to meet three teenagers near his home, in the
area of 3800 West and 5700 South, to purchase a firearm. The teens, who were known to him as "friends of friends," arrived in a white Jeep Liberty. Franco got into the vehicle with them, but his girlfriend and stepmother, who were nearby, saw an argument break out. As the Jeep sped away with Franco still inside, they heard a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot.
Initially treated as a possible abduction, the case shifted to a homicide investigation. Franco’s family searched for him for days, holding a vigil in hopes of his safe return. Police located the suspects' Jeep later on the day of the incident; it had been partially repainted blue, and investigators found a bloodstain on the floor and a rear seat belt. Two days later, on March 19, Franco’s body was discovered in a remote desert area in Utah County near Lehi. He had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, fired at close range.
Investigators determined that the three teenagers had planned to rob Franco of the money he brought for the gun purchase. Taylorsville police arrested all three suspects: a 15-year-old and two 17-year-olds. Police stated the crime was not a hate crime, nor was it gang- or drug-related. The two older teens, Rohan Sharoon and Pedro Alexis Romero-Bustos, were charged as adults with murder, aggravated robbery, obstruction of justice, and abuse or desecration of a body. The youngest teen, who was suspected of firing the fatal shot, was charged in juvenile court.
All three defendants were ultimately sentenced for their roles in the killing. The youngest teen received the harshest possible sentence in Utah's juvenile court system: detention until he turns 25. Rohan Sharoon, who drove the Jeep, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to at least six years in prison. Pedro Romero-Bustos also pleaded guilty and was given a sentence of probation. The case was fully resolved as of the final sentencing in May 2026.
