Man Found Guilty of Murdering Nicki Minaj's Tour Manager Years After His Death
A Philadelphia jury found a 38-year-old man guilty for the murder of Nicki Minaj‘s tour manager five years ago.
According to District Attorney Larry Krasner, Khaliyfa Neely was convicted on charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, simple assault and possession of an instrument of crime for the death of Devon Andre Pickett, a press release stated on Friday.
On Feb. 18, 2015, Neely fatally stabbed Pickett outside of a bar in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Pickett was preparing to go on tour with Minaj, who previously confirmed the news of Pickett’s death.
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“Two members of my team were stabbed last night in Philly,” she wrote on Twitter in February 2015. “One was killed. They had only been there for two days rehearsing for the tour.”
At the time, the star called the stabbings “another senseless act of violence that took the life of a great guy” in an Instagram tribute.
Neely was first put on trial for the murder in 2019. After four days, a jury could not reach a decision and it ended in a mistrial, according to the release.
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A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj) on Feb 18, 2015 at 10:09am PST
Still with hopes to hold Pickett accountable, District Attorney Krasner later sought a retrial “based on solid evidence.”
“It is our duty to persist in the pursuit of justice, even in the face of challenges,” Krasner said in the release. “I credit Assistant District Attorneys Adam Geer and Ed Jaramillo for remaining committed to securing justice in this 2015 murder.”
Krasner continued, “My office continues vigorously but fairly prosecuting individuals who commit serious offenses so they are prevented from further endangering the public. As always, I thank the jury for their service.”
According to ABC News, Neely could face up to 25 years in prison for the crime.
He is expected to be sentenced by Judge Scott O’Keefe on April 24.
