The rapper XXXTentacion, whose legal name was Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, was killed on June 18, 2018, in a robbery outside a Deerfield Beach, Florida motorcycle dealership. Four men were charged: Dedrick Williams, Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Robert Allen. Williams, Boatwright, and Newsome were convicted of first-degree murder in March 2023 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Allen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, testified against the others, and received a seven-year sentence.
How the Killing Happened
Onfroy, 20, had stopped at RIVA Motorsports in Deerfield Beach on the afternoon of June 18, 2018. He had reportedly gone to a bank shortly before, possibly to buy a motorcycle.1NBC Miami. Deputies Search for Suspects in Rapper XXXTentacion Slaying At about 3:55 p.m., as he tried to leave the parking lot in his BMW i8, a Dodge Journey SUV pulled in front of him and blocked his exit. Two armed men got out, took a Louis Vuitton bag containing $50,000 in cash, and shot him multiple times.2Miami Herald. XXXTentacion Murder Investigation Timeline
The associate medical examiner later testified that Onfroy was struck three times in the neck by bullets from a .22-caliber rifle, and that none of the bullets exited his body.3NBC Miami. Medical Examiner and Firearms Expert Testify in XXXTentacion Murder Trial The suspects fled in the SUV. Onfroy was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
How Investigators Identified the Four Men
The day before the killing, Tony Robinson rented the 2017 Dodge Journey through the Turo car-sharing app. Inside RIVA Motorsports that afternoon, Williams recognized the rapper and confirmed the BMW belonged to him by pulling up a photo on Instagram, according to later testimony.4Complex. Robert Allen Details Death of XXXTentacion at Murder Trial Williams also bought a black neoprene mask in the store, where staff recognized him from a previous visit, partly because of his facial tattoos.5Miami Herald. XXXTentacion Murder Trial
Detectives worked from surveillance footage inside and outside the dealership, cellphone location data, social media posts, and witness accounts. Williams was picked up on store surveillance the next day, spending roughly $800 on clothing while wearing the same orange sandals he had worn at the dealership. Within hours of the shooting, some of the suspects filmed themselves on cellphones with large amounts of cash, and one texted a screenshot of a news report about the killing.2Miami Herald. XXXTentacion Murder Investigation Timeline
Arrests followed over the next several weeks. Williams was arrested on June 20, 2018, two days after the shooting.6Fox 17. Grand Jury Indicts Four Men in Slaying of Rapper XXXTentacion Boatwright was picked up on July 5 on unrelated drug charges and served with a murder warrant in jail on July 10. A Broward County grand jury indicted Allen on July 18. Newsome turned himself in on August 7, the last of the four in custody.7Oxygen. Fourth Suspect Trayvon Newsome Turns Himself In All four were charged with first-degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery with a firearm.
What Each Man Did, According to Prosecutors
The case went to trial in early 2023 at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale before Judge Michael Usan. Three defendants stood trial together. Allen had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify for the state.8Court TV. Jury Convicts 3 of Murder in Death of Rapper XXXTentacion
Assistant State Attorney Pascale Achille led the prosecution and described each man’s role. Williams was the getaway driver who blocked the BMW. Boatwright was the shooter who killed the rapper “without any provocation.” Newsome was the second armed man who helped carry out the robbery.9Fox 2 Now. Prosecutor: XXXTentacion’s Accused Killers Set Out to Rob
Allen told jurors the group had rented the Dodge Journey the day before intending to commit armed robberies, and that Williams recognized the rapper at the dealership and came up with the plan to block his car.4Complex. Robert Allen Details Death of XXXTentacion at Murder Trial Prosecutors also showed surveillance video, cell location tracking, and text messages. About an hour after the shooting, Boatwright sent a message reading, “Tell my brother I got the money for the new phone,” then minutes later forwarded a screenshot of a news report about the killing.10Upper Michigan’s Source. Jury Convicts 3 of Murder in Death of Rapper XXXTentacion
Boatwright’s attorney, Joseph Kimok, argued the surveillance video did not clearly show his client and said Boatwright had been asleep at his grandmother’s house. The defense also contended the phone tied to Boatwright was a shared “community phone” used by several people.9Fox 2 Now. Prosecutor: XXXTentacion’s Accused Killers Set Out to Rob
Verdicts and Sentences
After six days of deliberations, the jury convicted Williams, Boatwright, and Newsome on March 20, 2023 of first-degree murder and armed robbery.11Vibe. XXXTentacion Murder Trial Guilty Convictions On April 6, 2023, Judge Usan sentenced all three to mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole.12NBC Miami. 3 Convicted in South Florida Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion Sentenced to Life in Prison Attorneys for all three said they planned to appeal.13Chicago Tribune. Three Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of XXXTentacion
Allen was sentenced separately on May 17, 2023. In exchange for his cooperation and testimony, he received seven years in prison with credit for the roughly five years he had already spent in the Broward County jail, followed by 20 years of probation.14NBC Miami. Suspect Who Took Plea Deal in Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion Sentenced