Three Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Rapper Julio Foolio

July 31, 2024 E Jazz Reporter

Entertainment

The Jacksonville Police Department said two 21-year-olds and an 18-year-old have been charged with premeditated first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Foolio “Pain”

Courtesy Photo

The Tampa Police Department announced the arrest of three people on Monday (July 29) in connection with deadly shooting of rapper Julio Foolio last month. According to a press release from the police department, three individuals — Sean Gathright, 18, Alicia Andrews, 21, and Isaiah Chance Jr., 21 — were arrested in Jacksonville and each charged with premeditated first degree murder with a firearm and conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm; Gathright was also charged with tampering with physical evidence as well as an additional count of premeditated murder in the first-degree and two additional counts of premeditated murder in the first-degree with a firearm.

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The station reported that police have put out arrest warrants for two other people as well, Rashad Murphy, 30 and Davion Murphy, 27, who are also wanted on one charge of murder in the first degree each, as well as a count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree and three counts each of attempted murder in the first degree. Foolio, 26, born Charles Jones, was shot dead on June 23 while out celebrating his 26th birthday, with his attorney saying that the MC was ambushed by his assailants at a Tampa hotel.

In the statement, Tampa police said that between June 21-23, the five suspects conspired to commit murder against Foolio, with all five traveling from Jacksonville to Tampa on June 22 in two vehicles to “locate and kill Jones in retaliation for an ongoing Jacksonville rival gang feud.”

On June 23, police said Chance and Andrews tracked and followed Foolio and his entourage to two different locations. “At each location they got out of their vehicle, and Chance used a cell phone,” the police statement claimed, adding that after each call a second suspect vehicle arrived at each location before both vehicles followed the rapper and his entourage to a hotel where the killing took place.

Foolio was trying to book a hotel room after getting kicked out of an Airbnb where he was celebrating earlier. The police said that Foolio posted his location online multiple times before the shooting and that after driving by the rapper’s parked cars twice and leaving, the three armed shooters got out of their car and opened fire on Foolio’s cars, killing the MC and injuring three others.

Police identified the alleged shooters as Davion and Rashad Murphy and Gathright and said Foolio is a known member of Jacksonville’s “6 Block” gang, which has a long, ongoing feud with two other allied street gangs: “ATK” and “1200.” Isaiah Chance is a known ATK member and Rashad Murphy is a documented 1200 member, while Davion Murphy is considered a 1200 associate.

Officials believe that the motive for the shootings is tied to an ongoing, yearslong feud between Foolio’s 6 Block gang and two rivals, ATK and 1200, which has resulted in “dozens” of murders over a decade. “It was apparent the suspects worked together acting in concert to actively hunt, and ultimately kill, Charles Jones as a part of this gang feud,” police said.

Jones’ most recent project was Aprils Resurrection. Announcing the album, Foolio admitted there had been “multiple attempts” on his life, but he vowed to keep on pushing.

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