A Long Beach man, 34-year-old Troy Lamar Fox, received a sentence of 358 years to life in prison for the murder of Briana Soto and the attempted murder of four minors. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office reported that the sentence was handed down today for the shooting that occurred last year, taking the life of 17-year-old Soto and endangering the lives of four other teenagers in a subsequent attack.
Soto, a high school senior with prom and graduation on the horizon, was gunned down near her residence at 11th Street and Lewis Avenue in Long Beach while walking home from her job at McDonald’s on March 26, 2024. Fox, born on August 8, 1990, was found guilty on March 27 of first-degree murder and use of a firearm, according to the District Attorney's news release. Two weeks after Soto's murder, on April 9, Fox shot at a car with four minors inside near Pine Avenue and 14th Street, leading to his conviction on four counts of attempted murder.
“Briana Soto had her whole life ahead of her — she was getting ready for her prom, her 18th birthday, and graduation,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman was quoted in the release. "Today’s sentence ensures the person who stole her future will never be free to harm another innocent person. While this punishment cannot undo the pain he caused, it is a step toward justice for Briana, her loved ones, and our community."
The case was the result of an investigation by the Long Beach Police Department, with Deputy District Attorney Robert Song of LADA’s Gang Homicide Division leading the prosecution. District Attorney Hochman praised the Gang Homicide Division and Song, reporting their "tireless efforts demonstrate our office's solemn promise to seek justice for Briana Soto and the many young people whose lives were forever changed by this violence." The imposed life sentence, ensuring Fox will remain behind bars, took place in the Long Beach Courthouse's Department S20.
