Wilbrent Bain Jr., the 19-year-old younger brother of Miami rapper Trina, was shot and killed on April 23, 2013, in northwest Miami by a friend and neighbor who was arrested and charged with second-degree murder the same day.1NBC Miami. Fatal Shooting of Brother of Rapper Trina a Terrible Tragedy, Reverend Known to friends as “Gonk” or “Goonkie,” Bain was the brother of Katrina Taylor, the rapper known as Trina.2BET. Trina’s Brother Slain in Miami
How the Shooting Happened
Shortly before 9:35 a.m. on April 23, 2013, Bain and 27-year-old Ron Dobson got into a dispute near Northwest 91st Street and 24th Avenue. The two were friends who lived around the corner from each other, and mutual friends told investigators their feud had escalated in the days before. As Bain started to get off his bicycle during the confrontation, Dobson pulled a gun from his waistband and shot him multiple times. Bain died at the scene.1NBC Miami. Fatal Shooting of Brother of Rapper Trina a Terrible Tragedy, Reverend2BET. Trina’s Brother Slain in Miami
Police described the shooting as a personal conflict, not something tied to broader organized activity in the neighborhood.1NBC Miami. Fatal Shooting of Brother of Rapper Trina a Terrible Tragedy, Reverend
The Arrest and Charge
Miami-Dade Police announced Dobson’s arrest the night of the shooting. According to the arrest affidavit, he confessed to his involvement after being read his Miranda rights.3theGrio. Rapper Trina’s Brother Fatally Shot, Man Arrested He was charged with one count of second-degree murder.4Vibe. Arrest Made in Death of Trina’s Brother Available coverage did not report further details about a trial, plea, or sentencing.
Who Wilbrent Bain Jr. Was
Bain had lived his entire life in northwest Miami. He had survived an earlier shooting in 2008, though the circumstances of that incident and whether anyone was charged were never publicly reported.1NBC Miami. Fatal Shooting of Brother of Rapper Trina a Terrible Tragedy, Reverend News reports at the time of his death noted he had a criminal record that included gun possession, burglary, drug offenses, and a domestic violence charge involving strangulation.2BET. Trina’s Brother Slain in Miami
Rev. Gary Johnson, a family friend, called Bain “a very good kid” and called the shooting “a terrible tragedy.” Neighbor Demetrius Hammond told reporters he was “hurt because this man is gone for no reason at all.”1NBC Miami. Fatal Shooting of Brother of Rapper Trina a Terrible Tragedy, Reverend
How Trina Has Spoken About Her Brother’s Death
Trina did not publicly address her brother’s killing in its immediate aftermath.4Vibe. Arrest Made in Death of Trina’s Brother A message on her MySpace account at the time asked for “prayers and blessings” for the family and called the news “very sad.”2BET. Trina’s Brother Slain in Miami
She spoke more openly years later. In an October 2024 appearance on The Tamron Hall Show promoting her memoir Da Baddest, Trina said, “The loss of my brother is when life went dark for me. Since 2013 when I lost my brother, I just felt so disconnected from the world.” She said she “stopped believing in everything that I believe in life” and felt she was “breaking down losing myself” in the period after the killing.5HipHopDX. Trina Reflects on Deaths of Mother and Brother She added that she would “never feel closure.”6BET. Trina Opens Up About Dark Period of Grief Following the Loss of Her Brother and Mother