Alicia Faith Todd, a 21-year-old resident of Signal Hill, California, was tragically found dead in an alley on June 24, 2015, in Long Beach. The Long Beach Police Department responded to a call at 1:13 a.m. reporting a body in the alley behind East 21st Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered Todd unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene shortly thereafter.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots around midnight, but it wasn't until they found her body that they contacted the authorities.
The investigation into Todd's death revealed that she was in a domestic relationship with Tremaine Lewis, who was 24 years old at the time. Lewis was arrested in February 2016 and charged with her murder. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, which included allegations of using a firearm in the commission of the crime. The prosecution argued that Todd's pregnancy, which she had confirmed just a day before her death, was a significant factor in the motive for the murder. DNA testing on embryonic material confirmed that Lewis was the father of the unborn child.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Lewis had shot Todd three times, solving what he perceived as a complication in his life. The defense, however, argued that there was no direct evidence placing Lewis at the scene of the crime at the time of the murder. Despite these arguments, the jury found Lewis guilty of first-degree murder after deliberating for about two hours. He was convicted in May 2024 and faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison. Sentencing was scheduled for June 7, 2024.
The case highlighted the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities. Todd's family and friends remembered her as a vibrant young woman whose life was cut short by a senseless act of violence. The conviction of Tremaine Lewis brought some measure of justice to her loved ones, though the loss of Alicia Faith Todd remains a profound sorrow.
