Fourth Suspect In Young Dolph Murder Is In Custody

BYGabriel Bras Nevares8.4K Views
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The suspect turned himself in to authorities and will be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Young Dolph's passing continues to shock and affect the hip-hop community, as more details develop in his murder case. Most recently, a fourth suspect of his death turned himself in to the police on November 18th. This follows last week's indictment of a third suspect and a posthumous Dolph single this week.

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According to investigative reports, the suspect (named Jermarcus Johnson) surrendered to the police. However, authorities have not revealed his potential involvement in the case. Police will formally charge Johnson with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder when arraigned. As mentioned, authorities indicted a third suspect named Hernandez Govan last week and charged him with conspiracy.

Given police reports, prosecutors allege that Govan hired Justin "Straight Drop" Johnson and Cornelius Smith to murder the Memphis rapper. Johnson, 23, is a rapper, while Smith, 32, is reportedly an associate of this crew. Both men face first-degree murder charges for participating in the fatal shooting outside Makeda's Cookies bakery. It's been a little over a year since that tragic day.

While authorities have yet to illuminate motives behind Dolph's murder, the case's fourth suspect is related to "Straight Drop." As such, potential connections in this case will likely be explained or dismissed in court.

A fifth suspect, Shundale Bartnett, was arrested in Indiana but released for unknown reasons. Bartnett faces a first-degree murder charge, AllHipHop reports. However, it's unclear if the warrant relates to Dolph's case specifically. State authorities believe Bartnett helped Johnson escape from Memphis to Indiana after the shooting.

These developments come just a day after the anniversary of Young Dolph's tragic passing. During this time, many in the industry and in his community are celebrating his memory. His estate released the single "Get Away" from his upcoming posthumous album, Paper Route Frank. Additionally, Key Glock honored his late close collaborator on his new mixtape PRE5L.

His partner Mia Jaye reflected on his loss, her healing journey, and how the family is processing the tragedy. Stay tuned to HotNewHipHop for the latest on the tragic case of Young Dolph's murder, and the continuation of his legacy and artistry. Long Live Young Dolph.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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