Price man charged with murder for allegedly shooting, killing son during argument

PRICE, Utah (ABC4) — A Price father has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing his son while they were “ironing out their differences” at his residence.

Franklin Allred, 82, has been charged with one count of murder, a first-degree felony, with the domestic violence enhancement.

According to court documents, on Aug. 1, 2025, just before midnight, Carbon County dispatch was contacted by a man stating that he had just shot his son. Deputies and medical personnel responded to the scene. Deputies detained Allred for allegedly being noncompliant and refusing to exit the home. Medical responders attempted life-saving efforts, but the victim was ultimately declared deceased.

During the 911 call, allegedly placed by Allred, he claimed that he had just shot a man at his home, and explained that it was his son when questioned further. Allred stated that he was alone at the house and that his son was being aggressive to him. When dispatch asked more questions, he reportedly stopped answering but did not hang up.

When the investigating Carbon County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene, he located the victim just inside the front door, lying on his back with a gunshot wound to his chest. Medical responders had cut off his clothing during life-saving efforts, and the deputy noted an empty holster on the victim’s belt.

The deputies who arrived on the scene first explained that they had removed the gun from the holster and secured it for safety reasons. The investigating deputy noted that on a table in the room, there was another gun, one in a holster, and next to it was what appeared to be a cup of wine.

A “large glass jug of wine” and another cup were on a nearby table, and a green beer bottle was next to the victim on the floor. Another beer bottle was located outside near a fire pit that was still warm, according to documents. The deputies noted a strong smell of alcohol throughout the house.

Evidence recovered by crime scene technicians at the residence revealed that Allred had likely shot at the victim from a sitting position, as the bullet had ricocheted off the ceiling.

Allred was transported to the hospital to treat a wound on his right arm. Deputies at the hospital told the investigating deputy that Allred was crying, making statements about shooting his son, and claiming his son had threatened him while at the hospital. After he was discharged, the investigating deputy met with him at the Carbon County Jail for an interview.

What the suspect said during the interview

During the interview, Allred allegedly stated that he didn’t know how he got to the jail and didn’t know what had happened to his arm. He stated that the last thing he remembered was “ironing out differences while sitting around the fire pit” with his son.

Allred explained that his son had felt “jealous of his sisters and felt he wasn’t as important as them.” He stated that the victim would get drunk and call him names, and he had finally decided to sit down with his son and talk the situation out. According to court documents, Allred stated that his son had encouraged him to drink and he had “given in.”

“Frank [Allred] then described him and the victim’s relationship as good until last night,” documents say. He explained that he and his son were hashing things out, and both were mad. Allred allegedly admitted to “overdoing it (drinking more)” on purpose during the argument.

According to the arrest statement, Allred told the deputy that he is afraid of his son when his son drinks, and explained that he becomes “intimidating” and can be “very aggressive,” described as yelling. When asked if the victim was intimidating during the fight, Allred stated that he “started to but ended friendly and good-natured by the fire.”

Allred stated that he possessed a firearm that he kept on a table in the room where the shooting occurred. He explained that he did not keep it loaded, but there were rounds in the magazine. When asked whether he thought the victim had a gun with him, Allred stated that he didn’t see one, but knew that the victim owned a handgun and a rifle.

The deputy asked Allred if he ever thought the victim would hurt him, and Allred said he “didn’t think so,” and that the victim did not have a gun while threatening him. Allred then asked if the victim was dead, and allegedly became upset and asked if he was in trouble and going to go to prison when the deputy confirmed that his son had passed away.

Allred told the deputy that he “couldn’t believe he’d actually shoot, but if he did, the victim must have scared him.” He went on to say that his son had pressured him to drink wine and again stated that “the victim must have done something to scare him for him to” shoot him.

Due to Allred’s statement that “there had never been an occasion that he felt the victim would hurt him” and his comments about shooting his son on the 911 call, Allred was booked into the Carbon County Jail and charged with murder.