XXXTentacion: Jury convicts 3 in star rapper's 2018 killing
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
XXXTentacion was 20 when he was killed.

Three men were found guilty on Monday of the 2018 killing of star rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot outside a motorcycle shop in Florida in 2018 and robbed of $50,000.

XXXTentacion was killed at the age of 20.

Michael Boatwright, 28, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, were all found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery. The defendants who, as reported, showed little emotion as each stood and was handcuffed by a bailiff, will receive mandatory life sentences at a later date.

During the month-long trial, prosecutors linked the men to the June 18, 2018, shooting outside Riva Motorsports in suburban Fort Lauderdale through extensive surveillance video taken inside and outside the store, plus cellphone videos they took that showed them flashing fistfuls of $100 bills hours after the slaying.

XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, had just left Riva Motorsports with a friend when his BMW was blocked by an SUV that swerved in front. Surveillance video showed two masked gunmen emerging and confronting the 20-year-old singer at the driver's window, and one shot him repeatedly. They then grabbed a Louis Vuitton bag containing cash XXXTentacion had just withdrawn from the bank, got back into the SUV and sped away. The friend was not harmed.

The rapper, who pronounced his name "Ex ex ex ten-ta-see-YAWN," was a platinum-selling rising star who tackled issues including prejudice and depression in his songs.

He also drew criticism over bad behavior and multiple arrests, including charges that he severely beat and abused his girlfriend.

The documentary Look at Me released last year explores his mixed legacy, documenting his struggles with bipolar disorder, his breakout success and his 2016 arrest for beating and assaulting his girlfriend at the time.