XXXTentacion: Three men sentenced to life in prison for murder of US rapper | The Art News

Three men have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of American rapper XXXTentacion.

The 20-year-old singer-songwriter, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was shot and killed in 2018 during a robbery outside a motorcycle shop in Florida.

Trayvon Newsome, 24, Michael Boatwright, 28, and Dedrick Williams, 26 Convicted of first-degree murder last month and armed robbery after a month-long trial.

Trayvon Newsome (Photo: AP), Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams were found guilty of murdering rapper XXXTentacion.
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(L to R): Trayvon Newsome, Michael Boatwright and Dedrick Williams.Photo: Associated Press

While Florida does have the death penalty, prosecutors are not seeking it.

The defendants stood one by one, expressionless, as they were handcuffed in court.

XXXTentacion had just left a motorcycle shop with a friend when an SUV swerved in front of him and blocked his BMW.

He was shot multiple times by a masked gunman while driving, before the group took cash he had withdrawn from the bank and fled the scene.

Surveillance video from inside and outside Riva Motorsports in suburban Fort Lauderdale linked Boatwright, Williams and Newsome to the shooting.

Investigators surround a car after rapper XXXTentacion was shot Monday, June 18, 2018, in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The 20-year-old rising star was pronounced dead Monday night at a Fort Lauderdale-area hospital, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.  (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
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Investigators at the scene of the 2018 shooting.Image: Associated Press

The jury also saw cellphone footage taken by the men, which showed them waving handfuls of $100 bills in the hours after the killings.

A fourth man, Robert Allen, a former friend of the accused who said he took part in the robbery, pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder. He has not yet been sentenced.

Boatwright was identified as the primary shooter and Newsom was charged as the other shooter.

Williams is accused of driving the SUV while Allen was in the vehicle.

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XXXTentacion is a platinum-selling rising star who tackles issues like prejudice and depression in his songs.

However, he has also been criticized for his multiple arrests. Battery charges against his ex-girlfriend were dropped following his death.

The rapper had a four-year-old son, Gekyume, who was born seven months after his death.

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