This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In one hand, Ashley Gustin held a matted tissue she'd been using to wipe away tears; in the other, she grasped a spiral-bound notebook with a message for the person who killed her 16-year-old son.
"You have not only robbed my child of his life, but my family and I of ours," she said, reading the note. "The only comfort I take is knowing the hell I am now and will continue to live is nothing compared to the one you are yet to face. I will make sure that I live as long as possible just to make sure that you never see the light of day. This I promise you."
Her hands shook as she delivered the message, though the sobs shook her more — at times rendering her speechless. Gustin spoke at a news conference Thursday, joining Salt Lake City police's renewed calls for anyone with information in the month-old case to come forward with the hope of identifying and apprehending the person or people responsible.
Ashley Gustin's son, Paris Gustin, was killed in a drive-by shooting in western Salt Lake City on July 5. Paris Gustin and two other teenage males were throwing eggs at cars about 4 a.m., said SLCPD Sgt. Brandon Shearer. One of the drivers struck by an egg got upset and tailed the three boys, who were traveling near 600 North and 1000 West. Someone in the egged car — Shearer would not release how many occupants were in the vehicle — fired shots at the car Gustin was in, hitting him at least twice. The shooter then fled the scene.
The teens in the car with Gustin continued south, ending up at about 985 South and 1000 West, and called friends, who reported the incident to police. Gustin died about 4:15 a.m.
"There are people out there who have information," Shearer said, "and we're just asking them to come forward and share that information with us to help bring closure to the Gustin family."
Shearer, who declined to give more details on the shooting, said the case is under investigation and that he could not confirm whether there are persons of interest or what type of gun was used. A white Nissan Sentra with fog lights and tinted windows was captured on surveillance videos, police say, near where the shooting occurred. They are looking for that sedan.
Ashley Gustin hopes finding the people responsible will bring closure, though nothing could completely erase the pain of living "a parent's worse nightmare."
"I dread going to sleep now, as I know what horrible reality awaits me in the morning: knowing that my child is dead and I will never see his beautiful face again," she said. "I will never hug him. I will never see him get married or be a father."
Paris Gustin was her only child, and as a single mother, Ashley Gustin said her house is "so quiet" without him. She misses tucking Gustin in — he let her, despite feeling too old for it — and bringing her "little angel" his nightly glass of strawberry milk.
She hopes people don't see the case in terms of race — Gustin was Chilean, German and Native American — but instead as the "murder of a child."
About 15 family members stood beside Ashley Gustin on Thursday, holding photos of Paris Gustin hugging his dog and playing football. Some wore white T-shirts with his name scrawled across the front. And others carried flowers and a red poster with the message "Justice 4 Paris."
His uncle Shavanaux McArthur recalled Gustin's passion for cars. McArthur was teaching his nephew how to fix RVs at his shop and hoped to end the summer season with Gustin there.
Gustin, though, hoped to become a police officer, McArthur said, following the path of his grandpa Anton Gustin, who once served as the chief of police in Sandy.
"I just wish he had a chance to grow up," McArthur said, "and be the man he was going to be."
Shante McArthur, Gustin's aunt, talked about her nephew's incomparable smile and said he loved caring for his grandma. She regrets that a life was lost to a trivial prank and that those responsible for the shooting remain at large.
"If they're willing to take a life over egging, what could they possibly do to someone else?" she said. "They're dangerous. They need to be taken off the streets."
Police ask anyone with information on the killing to call Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000. Anonymous tips can be sent by text to 274637 with messages prefaced with "TIPSLCPD."
Twitter: @CourtneyLTanner