Police find two teen boys dead in South Jordan

Two adolescent boys were killed Friday in the Daybreak neighborhood of South Jordan.

An off-duty West Valley City police officer found the boys, ages 12 and 15, in a home at 4781 West Pine Canyon Lane about 4:30 p.m., according South Jordan Sgt. Sam Winkler. The officer, who was returning home from work, was flagged down by someone running out of the home. Winkler said the person who flagged down the officer was at the home when the boys died and had heard gunshots.

After the off-duty officer found the boys' bodies in the basement of the home, he called South Jordan police. South Jordan officers found weapons in the basement, though Winkler did not what kind of weapons.

Police do not believe the two boys were related.

Officers secured the scene and were still investigating late Friday. The boys' identities was not released while police worked to notify family members.

A search of a public records database indicated the house was occupied by Traci Hanson.

Winkler said police do not believe there are any suspects at large. Three "potential witnesses," all juvenile males, were taken to a police station for questioning. All five boys — the two victims and the three being questioned Friday — knew each other and attend the same school, Winkler said.

None of the boys police found at the scene were considered suspects Friday.

Although officers were called because of a report of gunshots, Winkler said it has not been determined how the boys died.

Jhan Turner lives next door and called the killing tragic and shocking.

"It's got that Mayberry kind of feeling about it," Turner said of the neighborhood. "Lots of kids and lots of families. This is just very shocking to have this happen next door."

According to Turner, the home was occupied by several children, ranging from elementary to high school-aged, and their mother, who mostly kept to herself. Turner said she believes the mother's name is Traci, though she was unsure of how many children live in the home, saying they apparently moved back and forth between their father's house as well.

The family moved in about a year and a half ago, Turner said, after having previously lived in the home and moved out. Turner described the home as a hangout for the kids who lived there and mentioned that police have visited repeatedly due to "mischief."

"It's not unusual to have the police there a couple of times a month," she said. "We've all been taken aback by the problems with the police over the last couple of months."

Turner was not home Friday afternoon when the incident occurred.

Police are treating the killing as a murder investigation, which Winkler said is standard practice.