Who killed Martell ‘Kardone’ Derouen? Beyonce's rapper cousin found shot dead at age 34 in Texas apartment
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Rapper Martell Derouen, who performed under the name Kardone, died of a gunshot wound at the age of 34. San Antonio police reportedly discovered Derouen’s body inside his apartment in The Towers Apartments along La Cantera Parkway on Tuesday, January 26, while conducting a welfare check.
Derouen, who had been rapping under the stage name Kardone since 2010, was reportedly known around his native Louisiana for being multiple Grammy Award-winning pop star Beyonce's cousin but was working his way out of the superstar's shadows. As per reports, Derouen is believed to be related to the musical icon through her maternal grandmother Agnéz Deréon, who hailed from New Iberia, Louisiana. Beyonce and Tina Knowles' fashion line was named 'House of Deréon' in her honor.
“That's not even something he would even mention to people,” Brian Mitchell, who owns Fyngermade Studio, told KSAT. “We'd just have to put in his bios because it's just, it's worthy to put it in there, but he doesn't like stuff like that. He was just a real subtle dude, quiet.”
“Kordone was one of those ones who rose and shine bright, brighter than, you know, some of those that was in the room with him,” said Mitchell, adding about his death, “I couldn’t believe it. I thought they had the wrong person.”
Who killed Martell Derouen?
As per reports, San Antonio Police is searching for 21-year-old Sasha Skare, in connection with the murder. Skare is reportedly already wanted on an active murder warrant.
On Thursday, January 28, social media accounts belonging to Joia Derouen, reportedly his wife, asked for the public's help in capturing Skare. She included the hashtag: "Justice For Martell Derouen." His brother, former UMass basketball star Trey Davis, also wrote that Skare was on the run in Texas after killing his brother.
Skare has been out on bond since January 2020 for previous charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a 2019 Austin drug deal resulted in a man being killed. The man, the Daily Mail reported, was her boyfriend Andrew Bass.
As per the report, Skare and Bass met a man in an Austin apartment to buy marijuana, but the two men began shooting at each other. Bass was killed and the other man was hospitalized. Investigators have alleged that Skare set up the deal in order to rob the other man.
Bass' mother called his death the “ultimate betrayal” because she had taken the young woman into her home when she needed a place to stay. “Because you open your home to someone and you offer them every single thing that you have and for the end result to be the demise of my child and really no true answers of you know what actually transpired," she said.
As per reports, Skare was also involved in the San Antonio music scene and had released a single produced by Derouen in April 2020. “There is no way to replace him but please help us find this girl,” Joia wrote in a statement. “She is dangerous and I do believe she will kill again. If you see her please contact the police.”