Teen sentenced for fatal Ruston Way shooting after pleading guilty to manslaughter
A 17-year-old accused of a fatal shooting last year along Ruston Way in Tacoma has been sentenced in Pierce County Juvenile Court.
Troy Lee Justice Jr. agreed to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree unlawful gun possession Friday in juvenile court. Superior Court Judge Shelly Speir sentenced him to confinement until he is 25, which is what the attorneys agreed to recommend.
Justice initially was charged as an adult with first-degree murder for the death of 23-year-old Benito Juarez Jr.
The shooting happened July 11, 2020 in the 3900 block of Ruston Way when there was a dispute between two groups on the waterfront, according to court records.
A victim statement filed with the court last year said Juarez had six siblings, and that he’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Benito Juarez Jr. lost his life to an act of gun violence, and not because he was associated with any gangs,” the statement said. “... Benito was innocent, not affiliated with anything bad, and the defendant had no reason to take” his life.
The family attached his eulogy, which described Juarez as someone with a sense of humor, who people gravitated to and confided in, and who had a laugh like a dolphin.
It said he liked fast cars, wasn’t aggressive and didn’t hold a grudge.
“All we ask is justice to be served rightfully,” the victim statement said.
A memorandum defense attorney Kelsey Page filed with the court gave this account of what happened:
Justice had gone to a birthday party, and after the group went to the waterfront.
“Unbeknownst to Troy, the party group ended up selecting a spot that was already occupied by older, intoxicated gang-affiliated adults,” the memo said. “The older group suddenly became confrontational and conveyed violent, gang-influenced threats.”
Shots were fired from both groups, the memo said, but there’s dispute about who shot first.
“Under tremendous, unexpected stress due to the violent threat communicated from the older group, Troy was forced to make a split-second decision, a split-second decision that was intrinsically influenced by his youthfulness, immaturity and complex trauma history,” the memo said.
He has no prior court involvement, and a forensic psychologist who evaluated him suggested that with services he’s a low risk to reoffend, according to court records.
“Troy suffered from years of trauma from parental discord, early poverty, his father’s repeated incarcerations, his mother’s arrests, his father’s betrayal, his friend’s suicide, loss of basketball and eventually school closure due to COVID-19,” the memo said. “Troy desperately needed, but did not receive, more adult guidance and professional treatment with a skilled trauma therapist.”
He’s been an excellent student at Remann Hall, the memo said, and before the shooting had planned to do the running start program at Bates Technical College.
“The parties have extensively negotiated this recommended disposition, and the parties are confident that the resolution fully and fairly considers the juvenile characteristics of this crime, the individual characteristics of Troy as outlined in this sentencing memorandum, the social science research on juvenile brain development and maturity, the dangerousness of the underlying behavior and the tragic loss of life that unfortunately resulted,” the memo said.
