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Defense in XXXTentacion Murder Trial Suggests Drake May Be to Blame
Lawyers for the men accused of murdering XXXTentacion have suggested that Drake had something to do with the late rapper’s killing.
Suspects Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams are facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the deadly 2018 shooting outside a Florida motorcycle shop.
During opening statements of the trial on Tuesday, the defendants’ attorneys argued that there were others who had motives for killing the rapper including Drake.
“Before X died, he said, ‘If anybody kills me, it’s Drake,'” said Mauricio Padilla, Williams’ attorney. “Do you think sitting here years later, any detective has ever asked Drake or anybody like that? No.”
Defense Attorneys in XXXTentacion’s trial blames Drake for the killing pic.twitter.com/IUSVqKdft4
— No Jumper (@nojumper) February 8, 2023
XXXTentacion once said on social media that if he ever ended up dead, Drake was the reason.
“IF ANYBODY TRIES TO KILL ME IT WAS @champagnepapi IM SNITCHING RN,” X wrote in an Instagram Story.
The two had a history of beef, with X accusing Drake of stealing his flow. “I’m not the first ni**a he bit, nor will i be the last, drake a pussy ni**a money don’t buy you respect,” X tweeted in February 2017, while claiming that Drake’s career was “almost over.”
Despite the far-fetched theory, prosecutors say the shooting was the result of a robbery gone wrong, and there is no evidence linking Drake to X’s murder.
XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was leaving Riva Motorsports in Fort Lauderdale on June 18, 2018 when his BMW was cut off by an SUV. Two masked gunmen emerged and demanded his money before one shot him. They fled with $50,000 in cash that X had in a Louis Vuitton bag. The 20-year-old rapper died at the hospital shortly after.
If convicted of first-degree murder, all three suspects face life in prison. They are also charged with armed robbery. A fourth man, Robert Allen, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year and is expected to testify against the other three.