The court found the three codefendants accused of murdering XXXTENTACION to be guilty of first-degree murder. Moreover, on Monday (March 20), the month-long trial concluded upon the decision of a South Florida jury. Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams and Trayvon Newsome also faced a guilty conviction for charges of armed robbery with a firearm. Afterwards, sheriff's deputies immediately handcuffed them in the courtroom. Each of the three perpetrators now face mandatory life sentences, although an official sentencing hearing will take place on a later date. Given X's massive reach and the highly publicized legacy of his life and death, it's been a long road to get to this point, five years after his death.
However, another codefendant, Robert Allen, actually became a state's witness against his co-perpetrators in August of 2022. During their trial, he testified against the three accused men and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Said confessions gave the court more context as to what the motivations and dynamic of the murder were. Also, they debunked theories that other rappers like Drake actually instigated the murder or were part of a planned-out hit.
XXXTENTACION Killers Found Guilty
Still, Allen's fate is unclear at the moment regarding his sentence, although that could soon come to light. Unsurprisingly, many reacted positively to the verdict, whether with jubilance or with resigned sadness. While it's fulfilling and satisfying to see justice served, it's not exactly the most celebratory of occasions. After all, X's years-long absence will always be felt more powerfully than his killers' incarceration. Even considering that these men will remain behind bars for life doesn't get at the massive crisis that rappers face today, as they're targeted for their image, wealth, possessions, and to make a headline.
Since X's death, far too many rappers were lost at the hands of those wanting to steal their success. The three guilty men in this trial later flaunted their money and appeared quite pleased with themselves in released footage to the court. As many fans, loved ones, and regular people react to the verdict, many also acknowledge that the real work to help protect hip-hop is still yet to be done. Regardless, check out reactions below and return to HNHH for the latest updates on this story.