Briana Soto murder suspect arrested after California teen was shot dead just steps away from her family home
A 34-year-old man suspected of killing a Long Beach teenager in March was arrested Friday.
Troy Lamar Fox was already serving time on a weapons violation when he was identified by Long Beach police as the suspect who shot and killed 17-year-old Briana Soto as she walked home from work.
Soto was standing outside her family’s home at approximately 8:30 p.m. on the evening of March 26 when she was shot while on the phone with her mother.
The teen’s family heard gunshots outside their home on E. 11th St. and immediately took her to the hospital, where she died of her injuries three days later.
The suspect was captured on security footage shortly after the shooting, dressed in dark clothing and with a mask over his face.
Briana Soto, 17, was fatally shot just blocks from her family’s home on March 26
Troy Lamar Fox, 34, suspected of murdering a Long Beach teenager in March, was arrested Friday
Long Beach police examined DNA, video and cellphone evidence and identified Fox as the suspect believed to be involved in two other incidents on April 9 and July 7.
On April 9, officers responded to a report of shots fired. A suspect, believed to be Fox, fired a firearm in the direction of three minors and an adult in a vehicle.
On July 7, officers arrived on the scene after a report of firearms in a vehicle. During the incident, officers located Fox and a juvenile suspect and later learned that they were both illegal possessors.
Two firearms were found on the suspects and four firearms in the vehicle.
In November 2023, a warrant was issued for Fox’s arrest for violating the terms of his parole.
After investigating Soto’s case, detectives presented evidence to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on September 11 and obtained an arrest warrant for Fox in the murder of the Long Beach teen.
The suspect was captured on security footage moments after the shooting, dressed in dark clothing and with a mask over his face
Relatives are still reeling from Soto’s untimely death and remember the teen as a kind and lively spirit
On September 13, police seized Fox from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and booked him into the Long Beach City Jail.
Fox is currently being held on $2 million bail.
“Briana Soto was only 17 years old when she was tragically taken from her family by a violent individual who was willing to commit such a reprehensible and brazen act of violence,” Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a proposition after the arrest.
“This defendant has demonstrated a willingness to harm others and we will work closely with our partners in the criminal justice system to ensure Briana and her family receive the justice they deserve,” the statement said.
Relatives are still reeling from Soto’s untimely death and remember the teenager as a kind and lively soul.
Angel Guevara, the victim’s neighbor, said KTLA5. ‘We all know her. She was just a sweet girl. When I heard she passed away, I was very sad.’
Michelle Fierro, another neighbor, said, “It made me a little self-conscious. I’m about the same age as her. She was about to graduate from high school, so I think her story really impacted everyone around us.”
“Her siblings found her with their mother, so I can’t imagine what they must have been going through to see her lying there on the ground like that,” Fierro continued.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.