Man Who Killed Teen Girl Arrested: Long Beach Police

LONG BEACH, CA — Police have arrested the man they believe killed 17-year-old Briana Soto last spring in Long Beach, authorities announced Friday.

Troy Lamar Fox, 34, of Long Beach, was arrested in recent days after authorities obtained DNA, video and cellphone evidence in the case, police said.

“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 Chief of Police Wally Hebeish said in a news release. “Briana’s death has left her family devastated and has impacted our department immensely.”

The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. March 26 at 11th Street and Lewis Avenue, where responding officers found Soto with a wound to her upper body, according to police, who said Soto was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died four days later.

Soto was walking when she was approached by the gunman and shot, police said.

Law enforcement released video of the suspect April 30 but his face was obscured by a mask, according to police.

During the investigation, authorities identified Fox as a suspect in two other incidents, including a shooting targeting three juveniles and one adult in a vehicle April 9 in the 1300 block of Pine Avenue, police said. Officers also located Fox and a juvenile while responding to a July 7 report of guns in a vehicle at 14th Street and Pine Avenue, according to police, who said that both Fox and the juvenile were prohibited possessors and that a total of six guns were recovered from the suspects and vehicle.

“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,” Hebeish said in the news release.

Detectives presented evidence Wednesday for an arrest warrant for Fox in connection with Soto's killing and the April 9 shooting, police said. Fox was in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department but Long Beach officers booked him into city jail Friday, where he was being held on $2 million bail, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 562-570-7244, authorities said. Anonymous tips may be submitted to 800-222-8477, lacrimestoppers.org or the P3 Tips app, according to authorities.