Suspect in XXXTentacion Murder Trial Testifies, Says He Had Doubts About Confronting Rapper
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Jurors were able to view for the first time Wednesday the surveillance video that captured the shooting death of local rap star XXXTentacion.
The 20-year-old rapper, born Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was shot and killed outside a Broward County, Florida, motorsports shop on June 18, 2018.
According to CBS Miami, footage showed XXXTentacion stopped in his car by another vehicle as he attempted to leave the dealership, with a struggle occurring that resulted in a shooting.
RELATED: XXXTentacion Predicted His Own Death in Eerie Video Filmed Before His Shooting Death
One of the men charged in the murder, Robert Allen, 26, testified about the day's events on the witness stand, saying that he and his co-defendants — Michael Boatwright, 27; Dedrick Williams, 26; and Trayvon Newsome, 24 — had agreed the day before the alleged murder to engage in a general crime spree robbing unsuspecting victims.
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Allen further explained that they were armed, camouflaged their faces with masks, and rented a car in order to go through with their alleged plan. Needing to buy a mask for Williams, the group stopped at RIVA Motorsports, where they happened to run across XXXTentacion, identifying him by his car parked outside.
Allen then entered the store with Williams, and claimed they saw XXXTentacion, who was there 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 rapper.
At that time, Allen testified, he told the group, "I don't think that's a good idea," citing the riskiness of the store's surveillance cameras present.
All four suspects are each facing charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. If convicted, each could be sentenced to life in prison, according to multiple reports.
In his few years in the spotlight, XXXTentacion, a Florida native, saw national success as a rapper as well as several high-profile run-ins with the law.
His debut album, 2017's 17, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and his follow-up in March, ?, debuted at No. 1. His single "Sad!," also from ?, cracked the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100.
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At the time of his death, he was reportedly facing trial on multiple felony charges in connection with allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman. He repeatedly denied the woman's accusations.
