Ex-Convict Sentenced For Murder Of 17-Year-Old Girl In Long Beach

A man who had been convicted of murdering a 17-year-old girl he shot while she was walking near her house in Long Beach was sentenced Thursday to 358 years to life in state prison.

The 34-year-old Troy Lamar Fox was convicted March 28 of first-degree murder for the March 26, 2024, shooting of Briana Soto, along with four counts of attempted murder and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Deputy District Attorney Robert Song.

The motive for the attacks was not known, the prosecutor said.

Soto was shot in the upper body near the intersection of 11th Street and Lewis Avenue. She was initially hospitalized in critical condition and died four days later, Long Beach police said.

Police said DNA, video and cellphone evidence pointed to Fox as the suspect in the girl's killing. He has remained behind bars since his arrest last September on what police said was an unrelated weapons violation.

The attempted murder charges Fox was convicted of stemmed from a separate shooting that happened on April 9, 2024. He was found guilty of firing at a vehicle containing an 18-year-old and three juveniles in the 1300 block of Pine Avenue, near Anaheim Street. Those victims were not wounded, but there were "bullet holes all over the car," according to Song.

"Briana Soto was just 17 years old when she was tragically taken away from her family by a violent individual willing to commit such a reprehensible and brazen act of violence," Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a statement announcing Fox's arrest.

"Briana's death has left her family devastated and has impacted our department immensely. The detectives, officers, and professional staff assigned to this investigation have utilized every available resource to identify and apprehend this suspect, who we believe is responsible for Briana's murder, as well as two other gun-related crimes in our community.

"This suspect has demonstrated a willingness to inflict harm on others and we will be working closely with our partners throughout the criminal justice system to ensure Briana and her family receive the justice they deserve."

Fox, a Long Beach resident, had previously been convicted of attempted robbery and criminal threats, according to the District Attorney's Office. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Judith Levey Meyer denied his defense's motion for a new trial.

—City News Service