Three men have been charged in the killing of Dallas rapper MO3, whose real name was Melvin Noble: Kewon Dontrell White, accused of pulling the trigger on Interstate 35E on November 11, 2020; Devin Maurice Brown, accused of helping coordinate the attack; and fellow Dallas rapper Markies Deandre Conway, known as Yella Beezy, whom prosecutors say paid for the hit. As of early 2026, none of the three has stood trial on the state murder charges.
How the Shooting Happened
Shortly before noon, Noble was driving north on I-35E near Clarendon Drive when a dark-colored car pulled alongside him. The driver got out with a gun and approached. Noble ran south on foot along the freeway. The gunman chased him and fired multiple rounds, hitting him at least once.1CBS News. Dallas Rapper MO3 Killed in Shooting on I-35E Noble, 28, died at a hospital. A bystander in a nearby vehicle was also struck but survived.2KMVT. Rapper MO3 Shot Dead on Highway in Dallas Attack
The Alleged Gunman: Kewon Dontrell White
White was the first person charged. Investigators identified him as the shooter who got out of the car on the freeway. Cell phone records placed him near the location where Noble had stayed the night before the shooting and near the crime scene the day it happened.3NBC DFW. Second Person Indicted on Murder Charge in Death of Dallas Rapper MO3 He was arrested in December 2020 and indicted on murder and aggravated assault charges in Dallas County in February 2021.4KERA News. Yella Beezy Arrested in Slaying of MO3
White is currently in federal custody on an unrelated matter. In November 2022, U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer sentenced him to 105 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a charge stemming from an August 2020 traffic stop in Lancaster, Texas.5Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Man Accused in Dallas Rapper MO3’s Death Sentenced for Federal Gun Charge The state murder case against him remains pending.
The Alleged Coordinator: Devin Maurice Brown
Brown was indicted on a Dallas County murder charge in April 2021. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, he and White exchanged numerous phone calls the day before and the day of the shooting. A witness told investigators Brown had contacted them multiple times before the murder asking for Noble’s exact location, and Brown admitted to a detective that he was angry over Noble’s relationship with a woman.6Revolt. Second Person Indicted on Murder Charge in Death of MO3 Asked about the same phone records, White said he could not remember his own phone number and denied knowing Brown.3NBC DFW. Second Person Indicted on Murder Charge in Death of Dallas Rapper MO3
Brown pleaded guilty in June 2021 to federal gun and drug conspiracy counts in an unrelated case; federal prosecutors agreed not to seek more than 20 years. The plea was not expected to affect his pending state murder charge.7Audacy KRLD. Accused MO3 Killer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges
The Alleged Mastermind: Yella Beezy
The person prosecutors say paid for the killing was not charged until more than four years later. On March 18, 2025, a Dallas County grand jury indicted Markies Deandre Conway, the rapper known as Yella Beezy, on a charge of capital murder while remuneration. The indictment alleges he “intentionally and knowingly” caused Noble’s death by hiring a shooter “for remuneration and the promise of remuneration.”8Los Angeles Times. Yella Beezy Indicted in MO3 Alleged Murder for Hire
Conway was arrested on March 20, 2025, and initially held on $2 million bail. A judge reduced the bond to $750,000 on March 27, and he was released the next day under house arrest with an ankle monitor, surrender of his passport, random drug and alcohol testing, and a ban on possessing weapons or contacting co-defendants or witnesses.9Billboard. Yella Beezy Released on Bond in MO3 Murder-for-Hire Case The court later allowed him to leave home one day per week for up to five hours to record in a studio, provided he notified pre-trial services in advance.10Fox 4 News. Rapper Yella Beezy Trial – MO3 If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life without parole or the death penalty.
The Alleged Motive
Prosecutors say the killing grew out of a long-running feud between MO3 and Yella Beezy.10Fox 4 News. Rapper Yella Beezy Trial – MO3 Both rappers were rising at the same time in Dallas, competing for the same audience while representing different parts of the city. The tension was rooted in neighborhood disputes and street conflicts, and the two traded diss tracks and jabs on social media, amplified in real time by local media, blogs, and YouTube documentaries.11NewsNation. Rapper Yella Beezy Charged in Death of MO3
Where the Case Stands
White’s state murder trial had been set for February 2, 2026. Both sides agreed they could not be ready, citing an “overabundance of evidence.” Conway’s attorneys had filed a motion for continuance on January 7, 2026, arguing prosecutors had turned over more than 16 terabytes of discovery, much of it duplicative, irrelevant, or poorly labeled, including audit files, jail phone calls, and video footage.12XXL Magazine. MO3 Murder Trial Delayed Until Further Notice
At a pretrial hearing on January 15, 2026, the judge vacated the February trial date and told both sides to meet in the coming weeks to set a new one. The judge also ruled that prosecutors could photograph White’s tattoos before trial for potential use as evidence related to alleged gang affiliation. The defense objected and asked that any gang-related evidence be evaluated in a hearing outside the jury’s presence before being admitted; no ruling on admissibility was made at that time.13Fox 4 News. Trial for Murder of Rapper MO3 Pushed Back
Conway had a separate hearing scheduled for January 16, 2026, but was absent following the death of his mother. Judge Chika Anyiam ordered the parties to return the following week to discuss scheduling.12XXL Magazine. MO3 Murder Trial Delayed Until Further Notice As of the most recent reporting, no new trial date has been set for any of the three defendants. White remains in federal custody serving his firearms sentence, Brown’s state murder charge is pending, and Conway remains out on bond under house arrest.