In 2017, Deserae Turner was just 14 years old, attending Green Canyon High School as a typical schoolgirl. Like many teenagers her age, she was an avid user of Snapchat. Living in the quiet town of North Logan, Utah. However, little did anyone expect that she would soon experience a horrifying act of violence that was far from typical in her tranquil community.
While playing video games, Colter Peterson, a fellow student and friend of Deserae, confided in Jayzon Decker about his annoyance with Deserae’s Snapchats. Shockingly, Decker responded with a chilling proposition – he came up with a plan to eliminate her. According to court evidence, it was Decker who initiated the idea of killing Deserae, while Peterson agreed to pull the trigger. Despite having little personal acquaintance with Deserae, Decker took charge in plotting to lure her into isolation to carry out their nefarious scheme.
Decker barely knew Deserae, but he devised a plan to lure her to a waterway. Peterson enticed Deserae to accompany him to the waterway where she met Decker. Decker pretended to need her help in searching for a missing ring. The original plan was to slit her throat, but Decker convinced Peterson to shoot her in the back of the head, which he did.
They then robbed her of her phone and $55, which they used for snacks while Deserae lay bleeding in the waterway. Decker even kept the bullet casing as a trophy and displayed it in his window when he got home. Deserae was found eight hours later by a search team when she didn’t return home that night, but she miraculously survived.
However, her life was forever changed by the heinous attack. She suffered speech difficulties, strong muscle contractions, had to relearn how to walk, and experienced partial paralysis on the left side of her body. Her vision was affected, and she suffered from frequent and painful headaches, with the bullet still lodged in her head.
Both of her assailants were swiftly apprehended and eventually pleaded guilty to the crime. Despite being only 17 years old, they were tried as adults due to the severity of their attack.
During their sentencing hearings, Deserae Turner expressed her anguish towards Jayzon Decker, calling him evil and stating that no amount of prison time would be enough for him. She lamented that her life as a regular teenager was forever changed due to his cruel act, even though he barely knew her.
Judge Brian Cannell handed down a sentence of 15 years to life in the Utah State Prison for Decker, for his attempted first-degree murder charge, along with an additional sentence of up to 15 years for obstruction of justice in the second-degree. Peterson, who was the trigger man, also received a 15-year to life sentence. Both young men will be held in a juvenile detention facility until they turn 18.
Peterson tearfully apologized for his actions during his hearing, expressing remorse and sorrow for the pain he had caused. His mother also wept, questioning how her son could have been involved in such a terrible act and appealing for justice for Deserae and her family, while also requesting mercy for her own son.
With the attackers now behind bars, Deserae is slowly rebuilding her life with the support of her family, classmates, and community. Despite undergoing 10 brain surgeries, she is determined to move forward as a teenager, resilient in the face of adversity.
This year, despite all the pain she still experiences, the now 17-year-old Deserae Turner was crowned homecoming queen, a moment that brought her joy and excitement. She described the night as flawless, with the homecoming king’s assistance as she stood on the field, while the crowd applauded.
Deserae expressed that everyone deserves to experience that feeling of being truly loved, which she felt during that moment of being crowned homecoming queen. Despite the challenges she has faced, she continues to persevere and find moments of joy and connection with others.