FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Three men were given life in prison Thursday after they were convicted last month of first-degree murder in the death of rapper XXXTentacion in 2018.
The rapper, born Jahseh Onfroy, was shot and killed as he was leaving a South Florida motorcycle shop on June 18, 2018. Trayvon Newsome, 24; Dedrick Williams, 26; Michael Boatwright, 27; Robert Allen, 26, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
The three were identified by police. Boatwright and Newsome were identified as the shooters and Williams was the one driving the getaway car.
On March 20, jurors found Newsome, Williams, and Boatwright guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery charges, WTVJ reported.
Newsome, Williams, and Boatwright were sentenced Thursday to life in prison, according to WTVJ. Prosecutors reportedly did not seek the death penalty in the case but all three men will have no chance for parole or early release due to good behavior.
A fourth man, Robert Allen, also testified. Allen was a former friend of the defendants, according to The Associated Press. Last year, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He has not yet been sentenced since his trial is ongoing. Defense attorneys claimed that Allen was lying so he could avoid the death penalty.
Allen is expected to be sentenced on April 12, according to the Miami Herald.
Solomon Sobande, XXXTentacion’s manager, read a statement at the sentencing hearing, the newspaper reported.
“We sat through the entire trial without seeing the defendants displaying an ounce of remorse for taking Jahseh’s life,” Sobande read, according to The Herald. “Smiling at us, blowing kisses, waving. Without even taking into consideration that not only did they kill a son, but that they killed a father.”
