Suspect Charged in Fatal Phoenix Gas Station Shooting
A man is facing charges in connection with the shooting death of a 52-year-old at a gas station in Phoenix. Deondre Stephon Franklin, 25, has a prior record involving weapons-related offenses, as noted in court documents.
In 2020, Franklin was charged with possession of a deadly weapon while underage and underage drinking, according to Peoria Municipal Court records. That case was eventually dismissed after he adhered to court mandates, which included participating in a drug evaluation and education program. No conviction followed from that incident.
The current charges stem from a shooting that occurred on January 16 at a QuikTrip gas station. According to police, they received a report of the shooting around 7:45 a.m. and found Danny Lynn Custer suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders transported Custer to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, as reported by authorities. Following a homicide investigation, Franklin was identified as a suspect and arrested the day after the incident, now facing charges of murder, as confirmed by Phoenix Police Public Information Sgt. Rob Sherer.
Franklin’s bail is set at $1 million, and he is expected to appear in court again on January 23. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities have yet to clarify whether there was a motive or if the two men had known each other prior to the shooting.
According to Custer’s family, the conflict began over what they described as a trivial situation in the gas station. They claimed that Custer was in line for the restroom when Franklin attempted to cut ahead. When Custer confronted him, Franklin allegedly shot him.
Custer’s family expressed their sorrow, emphasizing how tragic it is that such a routine interaction led to his death. They wish to highlight who Custer was, beyond the circumstances of this incident, describing him as a special person who deserved more time.
Police have not confirmed if the shooting was recorded on surveillance cameras or if any weapons were recovered from the scene. Meanwhile, investigators are urging anyone with information to reach out to Silent Witness.
