Three men were found guilty of first-degree murder on Monday in the 2018 killing of star rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot during a $50,000 robbery outside a South Florida motorcycle shop. Michael Boatwright, 28, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trevon Newsome, 24, were also convicted of armed robbery by a jury that delivered its verdict less than an hour after the start of its eighth day of deliberations.
Their sentencing, which Circuit Judge Michael Usan has scheduled for April 6, will be largely a formality; Florida law prescribes a life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction. The defendants, two dressed in suits and one in a button-down shirt, showed little emotion as they stood one by one to be handcuffed by bailiffs. There was no audible reaction from family members and other observers in the courtroom. Before reading the verdict, Usan warned that anyone causing any disruption would be held in contempt of court.
The Broward State Attorney’s Office thanked the jurors and prosecutors in a statement, but said it would not comment further until after sentencing. Williams’ attorney, Mauricio Padilla, told The Associated Press that he did not believe his client was given the right to a fair trial. He said a key defense witness was injured and he was barred from presenting a key witness. Phone messages were left with attorneys representing Boatright and Newsome.
Padilla said in an email, “It’s been clear for days since the jury was deliberating that they had questions and I only wish I could have properly defended my client.” During the month-long trial, prosecutors linked Boatwright, Williams and Newsome to the June 18, 2018, shooting outside Riva Motorsports in suburban Fort Lauderdale through extensive surveillance video taken inside and outside the store, as well as cellphone video showing the men holding a fistful of $100 bills hours after the slaying.
Prosecutors also had testimony from a fourth man, Robert Allen, a former friend of the defendant, who said he participated in the robbery. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year. He has not been sentenced pending the conclusion of this trial. He could receive anywhere between time served, meaning he could be released soon, and life, depending in part on how much weight prosecutors give to his assistance. Defense lawyers accused Allen of being a liar motivated by his desire to avoid a life sentence.
They also said prosecutors and detectives conducted a shoddy investigation, ignoring other potential suspects, including Canadian rap star Drake; he and XXXTentacion had an online feud. Boatwright was identified as the primary shooter. Twice last week, the jury was asked to review 17 text messages that prosecutors said he sent to various people between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., about an hour before the shooting. They then stopped texting for about two hours. About an hour after the shooting, Boatwright sent a message saying, “Tell my brother I got the money for a new phone.” A few minutes later, he sent someone a screenshot of a news story that said XXXTentacion had been shot, prosecutors said.
