This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The families of the two boys who died at a Daybreak home are asking for help to bury their loved ones.
Taylor Wheeler, 12, and his friend Dayton Gessell, 15, were found in the basement of a home at 4781 W. Pine Canyon Lane in the Daybreak development shortly after gunshots were heard on Friday. Police are still investigating, and few details have been made public, other than that police found three handguns at the scene.
Dayton's family has set up a Paypal account for donations, located here, according to KUTV.
Taylor's family set up a fundraiser at YouCaring.com to help pay for the funeral costs. As of Monday afternoon, the donations had reached about $3,800 of the stated $5,000 goal.
"[Taylor] is survived by his mother and father, two brothers, two sisters, and an abundance of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents who loved him with all of their hearts," an unnamed uncle wrote on the website. "… His family is devastated, and is struggling financially. They do not have any money to bury their child, as they barely have money to feed their children. Please help us lay our beloved Taylor to rest. Anything will help, no amount is too small."
According to a Facebook page created to memorialize Taylor, the family has also set up an account at Chase Bank.
About 4:30 p.m. Friday, an off-duty West Valley police officer was driving home from work when one of the boys ran out of the house and flagged him down, said South Jordan Police Sgt. Sam Winkler. The boy running from the house reported the sound of gunshots.
The officer found the boys in the basement and called South Jordan police. Investigators have not yet determined whom the guns belong to, Winkler said Saturday.
Counselors are available today at Jordan District schools.
Twitter: @mikeypanda