Source: Scott Dudelson / Getty
The murder trial for 22-year-old slain rapper XXXTentacion began on Feb. 8. Jurors were presented with the startling surveillance cam footage that captured the late hip-hop star’s tragic shooting.
In 2018, XXXTentacion was shot and killed outside of the RIVA Motorsports shop in Broward County, Florida. Footage obtained by CBS Miami showed the young rap star being stopped in his BMW by another vehicle as he tried to exit the dealership.
Two men, one of them armed with a long rile, swarmed around the hip-hop star’s vehicle, while another went into his car and demanded the rapper’s jewelry and designer bag.
According to reports, the late rapper, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was allegedly carrying $50,000 in cash in a Louis Vuitton satchel at the time of the incident. Sources say he was going to use the money to purchase a motorbike from the shop.
Robert Allen gives detailed account of the day of the shooting
During opening statements Wednesday, the jury heard the testimony of Robert Allen, one of the men charged with the rapper’s murder. Allen, 26, testified that he and his co-defendants Michael Boatwright, 27; Dedrick Williams, 26; and Trayvon Newsome, 24 — planned to carry out a massive robbing spree before the murder incident occurred.
Armed and dressed down in camouflaged attire, Boatwright, Newsome and Allen covered their faces with a mask to conceal their identity, but Williams did not have a mask with him at the time. The suspects drove to the RIVA Motorsports to purchase a mask for Williams, when they just so happened to run across XXXTentacion.
Allen said they were able to identify the “H20” hitmaker because of his vehicle parked outside. Eager to confirm their suspicion, Allen and Williams entered the store to see the rapper shopping with an unidentified Black male.
After spending several minutes in the store, the two allegedly reconvened with Boatwright and Newsome in the car, to come up with their strategy to rob the Billboard chart topping artist.
Allen said he knew that the robbery was a bad idea
During the heist, Allen said he did not get out of the car because he knew the store’s surveillance camera had already captured his identity and that it could be used against him if the robbery went awry.
“I knew there was a good chance I would get caught,” he testified. “I did not want to get arrested.”
According to PEOPLE, Allen recalled telling the group, that he didn’t think it was “a good idea” to carry out the robbery given the store’s heavy presence of security cameras. He also accused Boatwright of firing the three shots that ultimately killed the rapper.
Following the shooting, Allen said that he and his accomplices crashed the vehicle they rented once they learned about XXXTentacion’s death.
He also testified that each of the men received $15,000 of the stolen money, “but he only received $5,000 because he stayed in the vehicle during the robbery.”
All four suspects are facing charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. If convicted, each could be sentenced to life in prison.
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