A jury in Florida found three men — Michael Boatwright, 28, Trayvon Newsome, 24, and Dedrick Williams, 26 – guilty of the murder of rapper XXXTentacion. Prosecutors argued that Michael and Trayvon were the gunmen who fatally shot XXXTentacion (b. Jahseh Onfroy) on June 18, 2018 and that Dedrick was the getaway driver “and mastermind behind the robbery,” per The New York Times. XXX was at a South Florida motorcycle dealership when he was shot while in his vehicle. The prosecutors claim the trip ran off with $50k in cash and a Louis Vuitton bang.
All three face mandatory life sentences. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. The prosecutors relied on surveillance video from the store that showed two of the men inside seemingly observing the rapper, as well as cellphone and Bluetooth data tying the trio to the location and the SUV. Evidence reportedly showed the ” defendants dancing and posing with cash hours after the killing,” per the NYT.
Deliberations took 27 hours across eight days, with the jury asking to review more than 1,000 text messages along with photos and videos seized from the cellphones of two of the defendants. The defense argued that DNA evidence failed to link the three to the shooting. The defense also argued other theories of the crime and said that the prosecution’s witness – Robert Allen, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and testified to his alleged co-conspirators – was unreliable. The jury sided with the prosecution and found all three men guilty.
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Update: July 2018: On July 19, the Broward County Sheriff’s Department announced that a grand jury had indicted four men in connection with XXXTenatacion’s murder. Dedrick Williams, 22, and Michael Boatwright, 22, are already in custody while investigators are hunting for Trayvon Newsome, 20, and Robert Allen, 22. Boatwright and Newsome have been named as the triggermen who shot XXX during an apparent armed robbery. All four men have been charged with first-degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery with a firearm.
Rapper XXXTentacion, named in XXL’s Freshman class of 2017, died after being shot in Miami on June 18. The 20-year-old rapper was reportedly shopping for motorcycles when a gunman approached him and shot him in his car as he was leaving, according to TMZ. On the scene, witnesses described XXXTentacion as having no pulse and appeared to be “lifeless.” “The adult male that was taken to the hospital and has been pronounced dead,” The Broward Sheriff’s Office tweeted following the shooting. It is unclear at this time as to why he was a target.
6/20 UPDATE: Detectives say they believe that XXXTentacion was shot as part of a “random robbery,” but the investigation continues. “I think he went to the bank before it happened,” his attorney, David Bogenschutz, said. “I think the determination was that he wanted to buy a motorcycle. But [detectives] aren’t discounting any theory.” His legal team also confirmed to The Blast that XXX was shot in the jaw.
Before the shooting, XXXTentacion was awaiting trial after he was accused of assaulting his pregnant ex-girlfriend in 2016. He was also released from jail in December after being hit with 15 felony counts of witness tampering and harassment in connection with the same 2016 case, according to the Los Angeles Times. In addition to his legal troubles, XXXTentacion has been extremely public about his battle with depression. His track “Depression & Obsession” from his debut album 17 detailed his experience and constant struggle. With lyrics like “I’m poisoned, and my body don’t feel well,” it’s clear he was deeply troubled. Nevertheless, his death has touched many, and a lot of his fans have taken to social media to express their grief.
“Rip XXXtentacion. So heartbreaking, you won’t be forgotten,” one fan tweeted. “XXXtentacion has passed away and there are so many emotions running through me right now. X helped me in many ways with his music. He truly is a legend in my eyes. RIP X, you will forever live on with your music,” another user said. Although it was short-lived, XXXtentacion had an extremely promising career. The rapper’s latest album ?, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart in March. He even scored a platinum plaque for his hit record “Look At Me,” which was released back in 2017. We can’t possibly imagine how difficult this is. Our hearts go out to XXXtentacion’s family.