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Mother of Utah teen allegedly murdered over egging incident pleads for justice

Posted at 8:55 PM, Aug 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-18 23:13:24-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- It's a nightmare that she can't wake up from. Thursday, a Salt Lake City mother pleaded with the public to help catch her son's killer.

Paris Gustin, 16, was shot to death last month in Rose Park. Ashley Gustin, his mother, said she knows there is someone out there who has key information.

"Just think for just an instant of what it's like to have life as you know it completely ripped away from you in a matter of seconds," Gustin said.

Gustin said Paris wasn't just her only child, he was her best friend.

"One night I forgot to tuck him in and he came into my room and said, 'Are you not going to tuck me in?' and I said, 'I thought you didn't like me to tuck you in,' and he said, 'I'm just doing it for you.'"

Ashley will never tuck her son in again.

"I will never hug him, I will never see him get married, or be a father," Gustin said.

His life came to an end on the early morning hours of July 5. He was out driving around, egging cars with friends in Rose Park.

"One of the vehicles that were egged ended up chasing the vehicle that Paris and his friends were in, at some point someone in that vehicle began shooting," said Sgt. Brandon Shearer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Paris was shot multiple times. He was found dead inside the car a few miles away.

"You hunted my child and his friends down as they fled in terror, and, for what? For doing what we all have done as kids: throwing an egg," Gustin said.

Police have no suspects at this time. However, they do have surveillance video believed to show the suspect's car, described as a white Nissan Sentra with fog lights, a small rear spoiler and tinted windows. Paris' family says this killer must be caught.

"They have to know that they did this to my child, and the fact that they have no remorse and no attempts to do right by their wrong scares me because there are more children out here," Gustin said.

Gustin said she wakes up crying every day. Everyone in her family has felt the effects of this shooting, and there is no moving forward until they have justice.

"The thought of him laying six feet in the ground, while these people walk free, kills me," Gustin said.

If you have any information regarding Paris' death, you are being asked to call Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-3000. If you wish to remain a anonymous, you can also text TIPSLCPD.