Plano Teen Stabbed To Death Near Home
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PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - A Plano teen was killed after an argument turned violent late Sunday night. Police aren't sure what led to the fatal stabbing, but they say they could use some help from the public in finding the killer.
A friend found 16-year-old Jerry Soto just a few houses down from his home near the intersection of 15th Street and Meadows Drive, near Meadows Elementary School in east Plano.. The teen's family has asked for privacy, but friends who knew him well are talking through the sorrow.
"I felt devastated 'cause I went through middle school with him and elementary with him," says Angel Posada. "He was like a brother, man."
Soto's neighbor says the teen and a friend had been in front of Soto's home on 15th Street for hours Sunday, and he never noticed any sign of violence.
"They were working on cars," says Cody Sotzen. "They were playing their music. That's pretty much it. They were out there all day."
But police say sometime around 10:15 p.m. another teen walked by the home and an argument began.
"I just heard, "F-you-this, F-you-that, and then maybe like ten to 15 minutes later, we drove down here and saw a bunch of cops," says Ray Lang.
A neighbor said that he heard shouting, but did not think anything of it until police arrived. "I know there's some poor mom and dad out there right now, probably not far from here," neighbor John Inman said, "that don't have their son today because of what happened yesterday."
Investigators say the argument turned physical when Soto followed the suspect down the street. Moments later Soto's friend found him stabbed, and the suspect was gone. Soto died at a nearby hospital.
"He was a great dude," says Posada. "I know he was a troublemaker, but he had like a good heart for everybody. He was real with everybody, and he was a really good person if you got to know him."
Police tell CBS 11 it's possible this was a case of self-defense, but they can't be sure until they find the teen who stabbed Soto.
Authorities described the suspect as a white or Hispanic male in his late teens, about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a thin build. Crime Stoppers has offered a reward for information that leads to an arrest in this case.
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