A California man convicted of killing a 17-year-old girl as she walked home from work—and trying to murder four more people just weeks later—has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Troy Lamar Fox, 34, was handed the maximum sentence on Thursday: 358 years to life in prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
The devastating case centers on the murder of Briana Soto, a hardworking teen who was just steps away from home after her shift at McDonald’s when she was gunned down.
The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. on March 26, 2024, in Long Beach. Briana had just spoken to her mom on the phone when shots rang out. According to police, her mother was so close by she actually heard the gunfire through the phone. When she frantically called her daughter back, a man answered—speaking words she couldn’t understand.
Briana was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but tragically died three days later. She was just weeks away from her 18th birthday, prom, and high school graduation.
Surveillance footage later showed the suspected shooter in the area moments before the attack: a masked man dressed in black, walking near 11th Street and Lewis Avenue. Investigators believe it was a completely random act of violence—Briana and Fox had no known connection.
But the violence didn’t stop there.
Just two weeks later, on April 9, Fox allegedly opened fire on a car carrying three children and one adult near Pine Avenue. Miraculously, no one was killed. Then, on July 7, Fox was found with a minor and six illegal firearms, prompting his arrest.
While in custody that fall, police were able to formally link him to Briana’s murder and the attempted shooting. He was charged and later convicted on multiple counts, including first-degree murder and attempted murder.
“This sentence ensures the person who stole her future will never be free to harm another innocent person,” said District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “While this punishment cannot undo the pain he caused, it is a step toward justice for Briana, her loved ones, and our community.”
Authorities haven’t revealed a motive. During the trial, prosecutors never offered an explanation for the senseless violence.
Fox had prior felony convictions for attempted robbery and making criminal threats.
For the Soto family and the Long Beach community, this week’s sentencing closes a harrowing chapter—but the heartbreak of losing a young life with so much promise will never fully heal.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: thedailycrime1
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://thedailycrime.org and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
