SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The four people who were arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 17-year-old in South Sacramento made their first court appearance on Monday.

While officials said Kenneth White, Carlos Vasquez, Jesus Perez, and Alize Trask all face a conspiracy charge, only White and Perez are suspected of murder.

A local defense attorney talked to FOX40 about what the conspiracy to commit murder charges could mean for the people charged in the death of Alynia Lawrence.

“Conspiracy to commit murder will be sentenced just like murder. The only difference is that you have the personal use enhancement of a firearm that they won’t face, but they’ll face the murder charge,” explained Justin Warn. “You’ll be guilty in prison for the rest of your life. I mean, at a minimum you’re looking at 25 years to life.” 

Ward said investigators will look through phone and social media records to tie everything together and see if they actually planned to commit murder. 

“The most difficult part is if there is some type of agreement, right. Is there evidence whether it be text messages, emails, voicemails that … (they) intended to get together or intended to commit a murder,” Ward said. “So if that exists, then that’s what’s going to make it difficult to beat the conspiracy charge.”