A suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of rapper XXXTentacion, real name Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed it arrested 22-year-old Dedrick D. Williams on Wednesday night and charged him with first-degree murder and grand theft. The 20-year-old Onfroy was shot outside a Deerfield Beach, Florida, motorcycle shop on June 18, after being approached by two suspects. Williams was previously charged with grand theft in 2014 and curiously followed XXXTentacion on Instagram, according to TMZ.
TMZ also reports that authorities believe three people were involved in the shooting death of the Billboard-topping rapper because three arrest warrants have been issued.
Two other rappers, Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo, have denied involvement after their social media posts appeared to reference XXXTentacion, and Kidd posted a photo from a restaurant seven minutes away from the motorcycle shop where Onfroy was shot, on the same night, and in which a firearm can be seen.
Friends of Onfroy claim the shooting might have been a random robbery and not related to any personal feuds he had. One acquaintance, Talyssa Lee, told the Miami New Times: “I feel like the people around him wouldn’t have the guts to do it. They’re all kids. They couldn’t even stand up to him about Geneva [Ayala, the young woman who accused him of abuse].”
Onfroy was controversial because of his music, but also his history of alleged abuse. A recent Miami New Times story detailed the horrific abuse he inflicted on former girlfriend Geneva Ayala, and the silence from his inner circle. Ayala was able to raise money for her extensive injuries through GoFundMe, though the page was deactivated after Onfroy’s supporters claimed she was a fraud. It was reactivated after the Miami New Times story was published.
Onfroy had been awaiting trial on domestic abuse charges. This week he reportedly broke a Spotify record for most streams in a single day, weeks after the platform instituted and then retracted its hateful conduct policy, which resulted in XXXTentacion’s music being removed.
Authorities have not issued details about the second suspect yet.
Update 9:02am CT, July 12: A second suspect has been named in connection with the murder, according to the Associated Press. Police arrested 22-year-old Michael Boatwright last week for an unrelated drug charge. He is currently being held in jail without bond, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office also named a third “person of interest,” 22-year-old Robert Allen, and said they’re looking for a fourth suspect.
Update 3:17pm CT, July 20: A grand jury indicted four men in the shooting: 20-year-old Trayvon Newsome and 22-year-old Robert Allen were also named. The two have not been arrested.
