Shooting suspects Trayvon Newsome, left, and Michael Boatwright enter the courtroom for opening statements in the XXXTentacion murder trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Emerging rapper XXXTentacion, born Jahseh Onfroy, 20, was killed during a robbery outside of Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
One of the co-defendants accused of robbing and fatally shooting rapper XXXTentacion in 2018 denied being hired by anyone to kill XXX after taking the stand during trial this week, according to Law & Crime.
On Wednesday, Robert Allen, who turned state’s witness, told the court that the group had not been hired by anyone to kill XXXTentacion, after one of their defense attorneys tried to claim Drake had hired them to kill XXX, The Shade Room reported earlier this week.
The two artists had been feuding at the time of latter’s death, spurring speculation that Drake hired them to kill his rap rival.
The rapper, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, once stated on social media that if he ever ended up dead, Drake would be the reason behind it.
However, he later retracted that bold statement.
Meanwhile, prosecutors had argued that the shooting was the result of a robbery gone wrong, and similarly discredited any claims linking Drake to the fatal shooting.
He also revealed how the stolen money was divided amongst the three of them after the deadly shooting.
Allen told prosecutor Pascale Achille the amount of money he and his co-defendants received from robbing XXXTentacion Allen shared he received $5K Michael Boatwright the alleged shooter, received $15K.
Dedrick Williams, the accused getaway driver $15K, and Trayvon Newsome, who is accused of being the other gunman received $15K. As previously reported, the men are facing life sentences if convicted of first-degree murder.
Allen, who prosecutors say was in the SUV, pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder
XXX was ambushed after leaving the store in his BMW as Williams cut off the rapper’s sports car with his SUV, while Boatwright and Newsome rushed XXXTentacion’s car to rob him, prosecutor Pascale Achille said in court Tuesday.
The group ended up stealing about $50,000 that XXXTentacion had in a Louis Vuitton bag before Boatwright shot him multiple times “without any provocation,” Achille said.
The three were tied to the shooting through surveillance footage and cellphone pinging spots, as well as the testimony of Robert Allen.
Allen took a plea deal, which explains him testifying during the trial, Achille said during her opening statement.
The rapper was a platinum-selling rising star who’s music explored themes of prejudice and depression in his songs. However, XXX drew widespread criticism over multiple arrests, including allegations and arrests for severely beating up and abusing his girlfriend.
