In a Broward County courtroom in March 2023, nearly five years after the daylight killing of rapper XXXTentacion outside a Florida motorcycle shop, three men were found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery — bringing a measure of legal closure to a case that had long haunted the edges of fame, violence, and youth cut short. Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, and Michael Boatwright will each spend the rest of their lives in prison for the robbery and killing of Jahseh Onfroy, who was just 20 years old when an opportunistic heist turned fatal. The verdict reminds us that even lives li
Three men convicted of XXXTentacion's 2018 murder, face life sentences
XXXTentacion, a 20-year-old rising rap star, was fatally shot multiple times during an armed robbery outside a motorcycle dealership in Florida.
They stole $50,000 and filmed themselves with it
Mark
Why did it take the jury more than seven days to reach a verdict if the evidence was this strong?
Mimi
Jury deliberations in murder cases often take time because the stakes are absolute—life in prison. Even with text messages and security footage, jurors typically want to examine every piece of evidence carefully and discuss it thoroughly. Seven days isn't unusual for a first-degree murder trial.
Luke
But we should note that we don't know what the actual deliberation points were. The reporting tells us how long they took, not why. There could have been disagreement on specific charges or roles.
Mark
The defence strategy of pointing to Drake seems pretty desperate. Did that actually have any traction?
Mimi
It doesn't appear so. The jury convicted all three men, which suggests the defence's alternative theories didn't resonate. But it does show how contested these trials can be—defence lawyers have to explore every angle, even if it seems like a long shot.
Luke
Right, and we should be clear: the reporting doesn't tell us whether Drake was actually investigated or ruled out. It just says the defence suggested he should have been looked at. That's a claim made in court, not a finding about what investigators did or didn't do.
Mark
What strikes me is that Allen testified against the others but hasn't been sentenced yet. Is he getting a deal?
Mimi
That's the likely scenario. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder rather than first-degree, which is a significant reduction. His testimony against the other three probably came as part of a cooperation agreement, though the reporting doesn't spell out those terms explicitly.
Luke
Exactly—we know he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and testified, but the reporting doesn't confirm whether there was a formal plea deal or what his sentence might be. That's still pending, so it's genuinely unknown.
Mark
The text message about "the money for the new phone" is pretty damning. How does Boatwright's lawyer respond to that?
Mimi
The lawyer doesn't directly address it in what's reported here. Instead, the defence focuses on the fact that Boatwright took photos with the cash but argues he wasn't the shooter. It's a narrow defence—essentially conceding involvement in the robbery but denying the murder.
Luke
Which is interesting because it didn't work. The jury convicted him of first-degree murder anyway. But we should note that the reporting doesn't give us Boatwright's own account or his lawyer's full argument—just the summary that the lawyer said he wasn't the murderer.
Der Puls
- A jury deliberated for over seven days before returning an unambiguous guilty verdict against all three men on charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery.
- Security footage, incriminating text messages, and video of the men flaunting stolen cash built a methodical wall of evidence that defence arguments — including an attempt to implicate rapper Drake — could not dismantle.
- A fourth suspect, Robert Allen, had already pleaded guilty and testified against the trio, telling jurors the robbery was spontaneous: the men spotted XXXTentacion and seized the moment.
- Boatwright fired the fatal shots, Newsome served as the second gunman, and Williams drove the getaway SUV — each now faces mandatory life imprisonment under Florida law.
- XXXTentacion, a rising but deeply controversial hip-hop figure, was just 20 years old when he was shot multiple times and robbed of $50,000 in cash outside a motorcycle dealership on June 18, 2018.
In a Broward County courtroom in March 2023, nearly five years after the daylight killing of rapper XXXTentacion outside a Florida motorcycle shop, three men were found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery — bringing a measure of legal closure to a case that had long haunted the edges of fame, violence, and youth cut short. Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, and Michael Boatwright will each spend the rest of their lives in prison for the robbery and killing of Jahseh Onfroy, who was just 20 years old when an opportunistic heist turned fatal. The verdict reminds us that even lives lived loudly in public — marked by both creative promise and serious accusation — can end in the most ordinary of criminal motives: greed.
After more than a week of deliberation, a Broward County jury delivered its verdict in March 2023: Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, and Michael Boatwright were guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery in the 2018 killing of rapper XXXTentacion. All three will spend the rest of their lives in prison under Florida law.
The crime unfolded just before 4 p.m. on June 18, 2018, outside Riva Motorsports in Florida. An SUV cut off XXXTentacion's vehicle as he left the dealership. Two masked gunmen — Boatwright and Newsome — emerged, while Williams waited at the wheel. Boatwright shot the rapper multiple times. The men seized a Louis Vuitton bag containing $50,000 in cash and fled.
The evidence against them was both digital and damning. Boatwright sent a text referencing the stolen money alongside a screenshot of a news report about the shooting, and investigators found he had searched online for the phrase 'accessory to murder.' The three men also filmed themselves with the stolen cash — an act of brazenness that became part of the prosecution's case.
A fourth man, Robert Allen, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder the year prior and testified for the prosecution. He described the robbery as unplanned — the group had gone to the shop for another reason when they spotted XXXTentacion and acted impulsively. Allen named Williams as the group's leader and awaits his own sentencing.
Defence attorneys mounted an aggressive challenge, alleging investigators had overlooked other suspects and even pointing to rapper Drake — who had a public feud with XXXTentacion — as someone who warranted scrutiny. Boatwright's lawyer conceded he had posed with the stolen money but disputed that he was the shooter. The jury was not persuaded.
XXXTentacion, born Jahseh Onfroy, was a polarising figure in hip-hop — his music resonated with millions even as he faced serious criminal allegations in his personal life. In the weeks before his death, he posted a video that many later read as a premonition of violence. He was 20 years old, his story still unresolved, when it was ended by a robbery that lasted only moments.
A jury in Broward County, Florida took more than a week to reach its verdict, but when it came down on Monday, the decision was unambiguous: three men were guilty of murdering rapper XXXTentacion in broad daylight outside a motorcycle shop in June 2018. Dedrick Williams, 26, Trayvon Newsome, 24, and Michael Boatwright, 28 were convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Under Florida law, each will spend the rest of his life in prison.
XXXTentacion—the stage name of Jahseh Onfroy—was 20 years old. He was shot multiple times just before 4 p.m. on June 18, 2018, as he left Riva Motorsports. Security footage captured the moment an SUV cut off his vehicle, trapping him. Two masked gunmen emerged. Boatwright was the shooter. Newsome was the second gunman. Williams sat behind the wheel of the getaway car. The men forced their way into XXXTentacion's vehicle and stole a Louis Vuitton bag containing $50,000 in cash, then drove away from the scene.
The evidence that convicted them was methodical and damning. Text messages sent by Boatwright in the immediate aftermath proved particularly incriminating. He wrote to someone: "Tell my brother I got the money for the new phone," and included a screenshot of a news story reporting that XXXTentacion had been shot. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Boatwright had searched online for the term "accessory to murder." The three men later brazenly recorded themselves displaying the stolen cash, creating a visual record of their crime.
A fourth participant in the robbery, Robert Allen, had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder the previous year. He testified against the other three during trial, providing crucial testimony about how the crime unfolded. Allen told jurors that the killing was not premeditated—that the four men had simply gone to the motorcycle shop to buy Williams a mask when they spotted XXXTentacion and decided to rob him. Allen identified Williams as the leader of the group. He has not yet been sentenced.
During the trial, defence lawyers for the three convicted men pursued an aggressive strategy, making sweeping accusations that authorities had failed to investigate other suspects. They specifically suggested that rapper Drake, who had a public feud with XXXTentacion, should have been examined more closely. The defence also attempted to cast doubt on Boatwright's role as the shooter, with his lawyer acknowledging that Boatwright had taken photographs with the stolen money but insisting he was not the one who pulled the trigger. These arguments ultimately did not persuade the jury.
XXXTentacion had been a rising figure in hip-hop, known for songs exploring themes of depression and alienation. His career was shadowed by serious allegations: he had been accused of assaulting and abusing his girlfriend, among other criminal accusations. In the weeks before his death, he posted a video on Instagram in which he appeared to foreshadow his own violent end. His death at 20 cut short a trajectory that was still being written—one marked by both artistic promise and deep controversy.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Tell my brother I got the money for the new phone— Text message sent by Michael Boatwright shortly after the shooting
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