The Brief
- In 2022, Tony Earls Jr. shot at 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez’s family, mistaking their car for a person who had just robbed him.
- Earls was indicted for murder in 2024, but the charges were dropped on Wednesday.
- Earls was indicted for manslaughter at the end of July 2025.
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.…