Briana Soto murder suspect arrested after California teen was shot dead just steps away from her family home

A 34-year-old man suspected of killing a Long Beach teen in March was arrested on Friday.

Troy Lamar Fox was already in custody for an unrelated weapons violation when he was identified by Long Beach Police as the suspect who fatally shot 17-year-old Briana Soto as she walked home from work.

Soto was just outside her family’s home on the evening of March 26 around 8:30 pm when she was shot while on the phone with her mother.

The teen’s family heard the gunshots outside their E. 11th St. home – rushing her to the hospital where she eventually succumbed to her injuries three days later.

The suspect was caught on security footage moments after the shooting dressed in dark clothing with a mask covering his face.

Troy Lamar Fox, 34, suspected of killing a Long Beach teen in March was arrested on Friday

Long Beach Police investigated DNA, video and cell phone evidence before identifying Fox as the suspect who is believed to be involved in two other incidents on April 9 and July 7.

On April 9, officers responded to a shots-fired call where a suspect, believed to be Fox, discharged a firearm in the direction of three juveniles and one adult in a vehicle.

On July 7. cops arrived on the scene after a report of firearms inside of a vehicle. During the incident, officers located Fox and a juvenile suspect and later learned they were both prohibited possessors.

Two firearms were recovered on the suspects and four firearms were recovered from the vehicle.

Fox had an outstanding warrant for his arrest issued in November 2023 for violation of his parole terms.

Following investigation into Soto’s case, on September 11, detectives presented evidence to a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge and obtained an arrest warrant for Fox for the murder of the Long Beach teen.

The suspect was caught on security footage moments after the shooting dressed in dark clothing with a mask covering his face

Loved ones are still reeling over Soto’s untimely death remembering the teen as a kind and lively spirit

On September 13, cops took custody of Fox from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and booked him into the Long Beach City Jail.

Fox is currently being held on $2 million bail.

‘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,’ said Chief of Police Wally Hebeish in a statement following the arrest.

‘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,’ the statement continued.

Loved ones are still reeling over Soto’s untimely death remembering the teen as a kind and lively spirit.

Angel Guevara, the victim’s neighbor, told KTLA5. ‘We all know her. She was just a sweet girl. When I heard she died, I was very sad.’

Michelle Fierro, another neighbor said: ‘It kind of made me self-aware. I’m around her age. She was about to graduate high school, so I feel that her story really impacted everyone around us.’

‘It was her siblings who found her with their mother, so I couldn’t even imagine what they had to go through seeing her on the ground like that,’ Fierro continued.

The motive behind the shooting still remains unclear.