On February 11, 2019, 18-year-old Kameron Johnson was at his home in Ogden, Utah, sick with the flu and absent from his classes at Ben Lomond High School. That afternoon, what began as a visit from a one-time friend of his older brother would end in tragedy. Kameron, a fun-loving and outgoing young man who dreamed of becoming a sports trainer for NBA players, was shot and killed during a robbery.
His 20-year-old brother, Eric Johnson Jr., was also shot multiple times but survived his critical injuries.
The events unfolded when Theron Farmer, 23, and Daniel Viegas-Gonzalez, 28, arrived at the Johnson brothers' home on West Lake Street. The visit was a pretense for a robbery. During the home invasion, both Kameron and Eric were shot. Kameron succumbed to his injuries at the scene, having been shot in the head and chest. His brother, Eric, lay bleeding for two hours before their father found them and called for help. Despite being severely wounded, Eric was able to identify Theron Farmer, a friend of about six or seven years, and describe the second suspect as a "heavier set Hispanic male."
The assailants fled the scene with Xanax, a small amount of cash, a coat, and a pair of pants. They also took the brothers' cell phones, which Farmer later admitted to throwing out of their vehicle. Following the incident, an investigation was launched, leading to a manhunt for the suspects. Theron Farmer was apprehended in Layton after a SWAT team response. Daniel Viegas-Gonzalez was arrested a few days later by a Davis Metro SWAT team.
Both Farmer and Viegas-Gonzalez were charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder. During police interviews, the two men gave conflicting accounts, with each trying to place the primary blame for the shootings on the other. Ultimately, Theron Farmer was convicted by a jury on all charges and sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. Daniel Viegas-Gonzalez later pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder.
