Today (March 20), three men were convicted for the murder of rapper XXXTentacion. The decision comes nearly five years after the 20-year-old (born Jahseh Onfroy) was fatally shot during a robbery as he sat in his BMW at a motorsports store in Deerfield Beach, Florida on June 18, 2018. Authorities say the assailants made off with $50,000 in cash.
According to the The New York Times, prosecutors named Michael Boatwright, 28, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, as the gunmen. Boatwright is accused of fatally wounding XXXTentacion as they struggled for the money. Dedrick Williams, 26, planned the theft and drove the getaway car that the three escaped in after killing the rising star. A jury deliberated for over a week and found the trio guilty of first-degree murder today. The publication adds that while prosecutors did not attempt to go through with the death penalty, the group does face mandatory life sentences.
BREAKING: all suspects in XXXTentacion's murder trial FOUND GUILTY of first degree murder and armed robbery. pic.twitter.com/RLb9p44Oxa
— DomIsLive NEWS (@domislivenews) March 20, 2023
A fourth person, Robert Allen, pleaded guilty to to second-degree murder in XXXTentacion’s case last year. Allen was present in court today and testified against his co-conspirators — Boatwright, Newsome and Williams. Prosecutors from Broward County also credited surveillance video in today’s verdict. Footage reportedly showed at least two of the suspects watching the “HOPE” artist before carrying out the deadly attack. In addition to cellphone records linking the men to the crime, the thieves also took photos posing with the stolen funds after XXXTentacion’s murder.
Officials believe XXXTentacion was not the intended target that day. During the trial, it was revealed that the four were planning to rob other unsuspecting individuals but came across the emcee by chance. After noticing he was carrying a large amount of cash and confirming his identity, they put their plan into motion. Another passenger was with the young talent at the time but ran away once the attack began.