A 34-year-old Long Beach man accused of gunning down a 17-year-old girl last March near her Cambodia Town home had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the killing.
The suspect, Troy Lamar Fox, has a “lengthy” criminal history dating back to the early 2000s, with the most recent conviction for commercial burglary in 2019 in Ventura County. He had recently been released from an arrest in Kern County before allegedly shooting Briana Soto on March 26, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said at a news conference Thursday.
“Why he was released from the Kern County case I don’t have any idea,” Gascón said.
Soto, a 17-year-old Poly High School student, had just finished her work shift at McDonald’s and was within a few steps of her home on East 11th Street on the evening she was killed.
At the time of both shootings, Fox had a warrant out for his arrest dating back to November 2023, when he violated the terms of his conditional release related to a conviction of illegal weapons possession, police said.
When contacted by the Long Beach Post, Soto’s family said they wanted clarity from the district attorney on why the suspect was free despite his criminal history.
Gascón was unable to provide those details.
“Any time you have someone that gets released and they go out and harm people, obviously the rearview mirror would say that he should not have gotten released, but again we don’t have all the details as to why he was released,” Gascón said. “The reality is he was here in our community, he caused harm in our community — horrible, irreparable harm — and we’re going to hold him accountable.”
If convicted, Fox now faces life in prison, Gascón said.
Investigators have not discovered a motive for the slaying. Police said they’ve found no connection between Soto and Fox.
Police previously said it didn’t appear he had any interaction with her before the shooting, and it didn’t appear he stole anything from her.
At his arraignment on Tuesday, Fox pleaded not guilty to one count of murder in connection with the March 26 shooting and not guilty to four counts of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder for another shooting on April 9.
Exactly two weeks after the March 26 murder, Fox allegedly opened fire in a drive-by shooting targeting three minors and one adult, police said previously.
“Forensic evidence” was used to link Fox to both shootings, Gascón said.
Fox was arrested in Long Beach on July 7 on suspicion of illegally possessing a firearm near Pine Avenue and 14th Street and was in custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department when he was charged with Soto’s killing and the April 9 drive-by shooting.
“No parent should ever have to endure such a heartbreaking tragedy. We stand with them in their sorrow, and we’re committed to seeking justice for their daughter and keeping a dangerous individual off the street,” Gascón said in a statement.
Fox is due back in court for a hearing on Tuesday. He’s being held on $6 million bail.