Police Appeal For Help In Mysterious Killing Teen Victim Was Talking To His Girlfriend On Store Pay Phone

Police have no leads, no motive, no suspects in the city’s latest killing, just a victim: a 17-year-old boy who was talking to his girlfriend on a convenience store pay phone.

Detectives appealed for help from the public. They particularly wanted to hear from a woman who found shotgun pellets after the shooting and gave them to an officer.

“At this point, we’re looking for any help we can get,” Detective Sgt. Joe Bryce said.

David Carajal Franco, who recently moved to Billings from California, was using the pay phone outside the Kwik Way store about 9:50 p.m. Thursday when he was shot once in the chest with a shotgun. He died at the scene.

Witnesses saw two people running down an alley moments later, but detectives are uncertain if they were involved in the shooting or were merely fleeing from the shooting.

Two cars were seen nearby, and one was circling the store while Franco talked on the phone for 20 minutes, but detectives were unsure whether either vehicle was involved.

Detectives were trying to learn more about Franco.

They said he moved to Billings from California within the last six months and was living with family members. He had had little contact with police since then and nothing considered a serious brush with the law.

Franco was carrying a pager, but Bryce said nothing indicated the shooting involved drugs or gangs. Franco wasn’t carrying drugs or a weapon and was unknown to the city’s unit that tracks local gang members.

“Frankly, we don’t know who he is,” said Yellowstone County Attorney Dennis Paxinos.