FORT LAUDERDALE – Jury pre-variety is set to get underway Wednesday in the murder trial of rapper and Broward indigenous XXXTentacion.
Capturing suspect Michael Boatwright, 28, and his accused accomplices, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, could all receive lifetime sentences if convicted of initially-degree murder. They are also billed with armed theft. They have pleaded not guilty.
A fourth person, Robert Allen, 26, pleaded guilty to second-diploma murder final yr and is predicted to testify towards the other 3. Jury assortment is envisioned to previous 3 months. The demo is predicted to very last into March.
In pretrial hearings, the defendants’ lawyers have recommended there were many others who had economical and particular motives for killing the singer, including associates of his spouse and children and other rappers.
The 20-year-aged rapper, whose actual identify was Jahseh Onfroy, experienced just still left Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach front on June 18, 2018, with a buddy when his BMW was blocked by an SUV that swerved in front. Two masked gunmen emerged, confronted XXXTentacion at the driver’s window and a person shot him. They then grabbed a Louis Vuitton bag made up of $50,000 cash the singer experienced just withdrawn from the lender, obtained back again into the SUV, and sped away.
Investigators say surveillance movie from the shop and other proof one-way links the a few defendants and Allen to the killing.
They say online video shows the SUV arriving at the motorcycle shop just as XXXTentacion and his close friend entered. Williams and Allen followed them inside of, with Williams creating a tiny buy. They then walked again to the SUV. About 10 minutes later on, XXXTentacion and his friend experimented with to leave, but the SUV blocked them. Prosecutors say Boatwright and Newsome have been the gunmen who confronted the rapper, with Boatwright firing the deadly pictures.
Investigators say Boatwright’s fingerprints were being found on the driver’s door of the rapper’s BMW. Williams was determined by a Riva Motorsports clerk, who said he was a normal buyer. Williams informed investigators he did not know the other 3 ended up arranging a robbery.
A research of Williams’ social media confirmed photos of him with Allen, who was then recognized from the surveillance online video. Williams’ girlfriend advised investigators that he instructed her that the other gunman was Newsome.
They say cellphone information also back links the defendants to the scene.
Shots of Boatwright and Newsome holding up massive quantities of $100 charges, timestamped on the evening of the killing, have been also uncovered on their telephones, prosecutors say.
