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HOUSTON - A murder charge has been dropped against a 2022 robbery victim-turned-shooting suspect, but he is facing another charge in this incident.
Houston Arlene Alvarez shooting: Murder charge dropped against Tony Earls Jr.
What we know:
A murder charge was dropped against Tony Earls Jr. for the shooting death of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez.
However, court documents show a grand jury indicted him on a manslaughter charge on July 31, 2025.
A judge denied reducing Earls' bond on Wednesday.
Arlene Alvarez shooting: Legal back-and-forth since 9-year-old's death
Timeline:
The shooting happened in February 2022. Authorities say Earls shot at Arlene's family's car, thinking it was carrying the person who had just robbed him at an ATM.
In July 2022, a grand jury decided not to indict Earls for the shooting.
Two years later, new evidence uncovered by an FBI firearms expert compelled prosecutors to re-present the case to a grand jury in 2024. At that time, he was indicted on a murder charge. His trial was set to begin in June 2025.
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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Arlene Alvarez shooting death: Man indicted for murder
FOX 26 Reporter Greg Groogan has the latest in the investigation into the death of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez.
What's next:
Prosecutors and Earls' defense team are preparing for his trial.
What we don't know:
There is no information on when Earls' manslaughter trial will begin.
The suspect who Earls was initially trying to shoot has not been identified.
Arlene Alvarez shooting: Search continues for Houston robbery suspect in deadly chain of events
Arlene Alvarez, 9, was shot and killed in her family's pickup truck in southeast Houston on February 14, 2022. Police say a man who was robbed, shot at the innocent family's truck believing the suspect was in it. The robbery suspect is still at large.
The Source: FOX 26 was present during Tony Earls Jr's court hearing. Information in this report comes from previous FOX 26 reporting and documents from the Harris County District Clerk's Office.