Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Slain rapper XXXTentacion’s real name was Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, and he hailed from Lauderhill, Florida, reported The Vogue. The rapper, whose hit songs include “SAD!” and “Moonlight,” among other tracks, rose to prominence after releasing his debut album 17 in 2017.
Despite his fame, XXXTentacion was deemed controversial because of his frequent run-ins with authorities for robbery, assault, and weapon possession. The musician also gained notoriety for facing criminal charges, including domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, per The Miami New Times.
Vogue reported that the rapper’s all-time hit song “Look at Me” was originally released in 2016. The track was re-released in 2017 when it peaked at number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In July 2017, he announced his debut studio album, 17, and released it in August. The album featured 11 tracks. Sadly, the rising star died in a tragic robbery-shooting incident the following June. His killers have now been convicted and sentenced to prison.
Hulu’s Look At Me: XXXTENTACION explores the late rapper’s story and tragic death. Other similar documentaries include In His Own Words, Long Live X: The Life and Death of XXXTentacion, and more.
XXXTentacion: What was the rapper’s cause of death?
On June 18, 2018, XXXTentacion, then 20, was leaving Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida, when two armed robbers fatally shot him. The men approached the rapper, sitting inside his BMW, that afternoon and demanded his gold chain. When he put up a fight, they opened fire at him, stole a Louis Vuitton bag from his car, and drove away.
Medical Examiner Iouri Boiko confirmed that the victim was struck three times in the neck, each wound just centimeters apart, reported NBC Miami. Boiko later testified at the 2023 trial. Moreover, firearms expert William Ruiz Fontanez, who also testified at the trial, stated that all three bullets came from the same weapon. Fontanez said, “The three bullets were fired by the same unknown 22-long rifle caliber firearm.”
Police arrested four men in connection with XXXTentacion’s death using surveillance footage, among other key evidence. Surveillance footage captured all four suspects: Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, and Robert Allen. The video showed an SUV swerving in front of the victim’s BMW.
Two men, Boatwright and Newsome, jumped out of the SUV and shot the rapper. Boatwright was eventually identified as the primary shooter, and Williams was the driver of the SUV. Allen was reportedly sitting in the backseat of the said SUV.
Were XXXTentacion’s killers convicted?
According to BBC, in 2023, a Florida jury convicted three out of four men involved in XXXTentacion’s killing nearly five years after the murder. The jury found Boatwright, Williams, and Newsome guilty of first-degree murder. During the trial, prosecutors used surveillance footage and cellphone and Bluetooth data to link the men to the crime. They also showed videos of the defendants dancing and posing with cash hours after the killing. The men were reportedly flashing handfuls of $100 notes.
The fourth defendant, Robert Allen, had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a reduced sentence. He also agreed to testify at his co-defendants’ trial. He stated that they set out to commit robberies and went to the motorcycle shop to buy a mask. They then spotted XXXTentatcion, waited for him to exit the dealership, and ambushed him.
Variety reported that Judge Michael Usan handed the three convicts mandatory life sentences for XXXTentacion’s murder. AP News further stated that Allen received a reduced sentence of seven years as part of the plea deal. He got credit for five years already served, with only two years in prison. Additionally, Allen will then serve 20 years on probation.