Police are seeking to question Andre “Mac Minister” Dow and two other people in connection with the murder of Anthony “Fat Tone” Watkins, a rapper who along with an associate, was found dead in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Watkins, 24 and Jermaine Akins, 22, were found shot to death on Monday (May 23) near an upscale housing development being constructed in Las Vegas.
A security guard spotted a car with its headlights on in a secluded area. One body was discovered in the vehicle, while another was found nearby. Dow, aka Mac Minister has recorded with rappers such as Mac Dre, E-40, Yukmouth and other Bay Area rappers.
In 2000, Dow grabbed headlines when he was involved in an altercation with rapper E-40 during The Source Awards.
Police are exploring several theories, including robbery as a possible motive, as Watkins and Akins had allegedly won large amounts of money after gambling at a casino.
Investigators in the murder of Bay area rapper Andre “Mac Dre” Hicks believed Watkins had pertinent information about the murder of Hicks, who was gunned down in November of 2004.
Watkins was never officially named a suspect.
In 2003, Watkins was shot multiple times while riding in an SUV with rappers C-BO and other rappers, who were also wounded in the shooting.
“We was in a clean ass Excursion, sitting on 24’s and sht,” C-BO told AllHipHop.com in October of 2004. “They shot every window out of that muthafcka. They sprayed the fully [automatic weapon] and sh*t, you know what I mean.”
Watkins sustained the most serious injuries in the shooting, while C-BO and the other occupants were wounded by flying glass.
“Fat Tone [Watkins] got hit in the back, right below his neck,” C-BO said. “He got hit in the ribs, and one of his lungs collapsed.”
In October of 2004, gunmen allegedly shot at Watkins while he was leaving a Kansas City nightclub.
Hicks [Mac Dre] was gunned down shortly afterwards in November of 2004. He was traveling in a white van in the early morning of November 1, when gunmen pulled alongside and sprayed the passenger side with gunfire.
The driver of the vehicle swerved and crashed and Hicks was pronounced dead at the scene.
While the trio are not suspects, police believe Dow, 34, Tanisha Aaron, 27; and Jason Mathis, 24, may have information on Watkins and Akins murders.