Was Drake behind XXXTentacion's killing? Defense suggests unexplored angle in rapper's murder trial
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: Drake may have been behind the 2018 murder of XXXTentacion, according to the defense attorneys for the three men accused of killing the rapper. Suspects Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams are accused of carrying out the fatal shooting outside a motorcycle store in Florida.
Each of them is facing a first-degree murder charge. However, the defense team for the three defendants contended that in the wake of the 20-year-old's tragic death, authorities failed to look into XXXTentacion's simmering rivalry with Drake. The deceased rapper, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, once said on social media that Drake would be the cause of his death, though he later backtracked on that bold allegation.
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XXXTentacion's friend Leonard Kerr describes rapper's fatal shooting
XXXTentacion's friend, Leonard Kerr, broke down on Tuesday, February 7, as he described to the jury how he and the late rapper were ambushed by armed robbers as they were leaving a motorcycle shop. He described how he fled in terror and then heard the gunshots that ultimately killed his friend.
Kerr reported that two men with firearms jumped out as him and XXXTentacion were leaving Riva Motorsports' parking lot near Fort Lauderdale. He claimed that the taller man warned him not to get out of the car while pointing his gun at him and adding a swear word to his command. The other gunman was attempting to remove the rapper's gold chain from his neck. "What's this for?" XXXTentacion asked, at which point Kerr made the decision to flee and pressed the button to unlock the passenger door. "If I run, I can get shot, but I can live. If I sit...." Kerr said, his voice trailing off, as per ABC News.
When Kerr turned around, the taller man was allegedly aiming a gun towards XXXTentacion, and Kerr claimed to have heard at least two loud gunshots. The men then jumped back into the SUV and raced off, taking with them the $50,000 the rapper had in his Louis Vuitton bag.
Suspects in the XXXTentacion murder case
According to reports, the shooters are Michael Boatwright, 28, and his friend Trayon Newsome, 24, is the second gunman. The alleged driver is 26-year-old Dedrick Williams. Each of them could be sentenced to life in prison on the count of first-degree murder if found guilty. Robert Allen, 26, who was identified by the prosecution as the fourth person in the SUV, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2022 and will now testify against his former friends.
However, their defense claims that it could have been a feud between XXXTentacion and Drake, but detectives refused to investigate that possibility. Prosecutors say the shooting was the result of a robbery gone wrong, and there is no evidence linking Drake to the deadly gunfire. The late rapper, whose stage name is pronounced "ex-ex-ex-ten-ta-see-yawn" was a platinum-selling rising sensation who explored discrimination and sadness in his lyrics. However, he also attracted criticism for his repeated arrests, including claims that he violently assaulted and mistreated his girlfriend.