Jurors in the XXXTentacion murder trial heard testimony from a family friend of the rapper who was with him during the fatal shooting. He broke down as he described an ambush by armed robbers before the rapper’s slaying.
Kerr was one of the witnesses testifying on the opening day of the trial of the three men accused of the 2018 shooting of XXXTentacion outside a Florida motorcycle store. Kerr stated that he and XXXTentacion, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, were sitting inside the rapper’s BMW which had been blocked in by an SUV, as per an AP report.
They were ambushed by two men who jumped out of the vehicle carrying guns. Kerr was told to get out of the car by the taller man, who aimed his gun at him while the other man attempted to take the rapper’s chain from around his neck.
Kerr pushed the emergency button to open the door, fleeing the car and the armed men. He looked behind him and saw the taller man with his gun pointed at XXXTentacion and then heard at least two loud bangs. According to Kerr’s testimony, both men then escaped in the SUV, taking the $50,000 the rapper was carrying in his designer bag.
The state accuses 28-year-old Michael Boatwright of being the shooter, and 24-year-old Trayon Newsome, the other armed man. The third man on trial is 26-year-old Dedrick Williams, who prosecutors say was the driver. All three men are facing life sentences if convicted of first-degree murder. They also are charged with armed robbery.
26-year-old Robert Allen pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder charges. Prosecutors say he was also in the SUV with his former friends whom he is set to testify against.
Defense Argue Drake Might Be Involved
Jurors heard two very different stories during opening statements, with the state claiming the slaying was a robbery gone wrong and the defense suggesting detectives caught the wrong men because they failed to investigate other potential suspects, including Drake.
In his opening statement, Williams’ attorney Mauricio Padilla argued that detectives should have questioned Drake in the aftermath of the killing because of his alleged feud with XXXTentacion.
“Before X died, he said if anybody kills me it’s Drake,” the attorney told the jury, referring to a tweet the rapper sent before his death, although he later retracted the statement.
Defense Attorneys in XXXTentacion’s trial blames Drake for the killing pic.twitter.com/IUSVqKdft4
— No Jumper (@nojumper) February 8, 2023