A man who was convicted of shooting and killing a 17-year-old girl on her way home from work and then attempting to kill four other people weeks later received the maximum sentence possible.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that Troy Lamar Fox, 34, had been sentenced to 358 years to life in prison.
In March, he was found guilty of first-degree murder of Briana Soto in Long Beach, California.
Soto was walking home from her job at McDonald’s on March 26, 2024, around 8:30 p.m., when she was shot near 11th Street and Lewis Avenue in the city, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
The victim had just gotten off the phone with her mother and was so close to home that her mother heard the fatal shots, according to the Long Beach Post.
Her mother called her daughter back, according to CBS News, but a man answered and she couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Soto was hospitalized in critical condition following the shooting, as previously reported by Law&Crime. She died three days later.
Police released surveillance footage showing the shooter walking in the area in the minutes before the shooting.
The video showed what appeared to be a man dressed in all black, with a mask covering his face. Detectives believed the shooter fled immediately after firing his gun and did not believe the suspect and victim knew each other.
On April 9, 2024, approximately two weeks later, a person shot at a vehicle with three minors and one adult inside on Long Beach’s 1300 block of Pine Avenue. After about three months, on July 7, 2024, officers reported responding to 4th Street and Pine Avenue to find Fox and a minor in illegal possession of six guns.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Soto’s murder in September, while Fox was already in jail. Police have also charged him with attempted murder in connection with the other shooting.
Authorities referred to the sentencing as “a step toward justice.”
“Briana Soto had her whole life ahead of her—she was getting ready for her prom, her 18th birthday, and graduation,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “Today’s sentence ensures that the person who stole her future will never be able to harm another innocent person. While this punishment cannot undo the harm he caused, it is a step toward justice for Briana, her family, and our community.”
It is unclear what, if any, motivation Fox had for the shooting. The Long Beach Post reported that prosecutors did not present one at his trial.
Fox had previous convictions for attempted robbery and criminal threats.
