BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JUNE 21: PnB Rock attends the 2018 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on June 21, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
PnB Rock‘s murder trial ended with guilty verdicts for Freddie Trone and Tremont Jones on Wednesday (August 7). Rolling Stone senior reporter Nancy Dillon first shared the update via X (formerly Twitter).
Trone was reportedly found guilty of felony murder, two counts of robbery, and one count of conspiracy. Additionally, Jones was convicted of robbery and conspiracy.
PnB Rock’s mother, who recently spoke against Trone, claiming no involvement on the stand, told Rolling Stone she was “elated.”
Freddie Trone testified that he did not send his armed son into Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Los Angeles, where PnB Rock was fatally shot. The 42-year-old said that a “different driver” took his vehicle, a Buick Enclave, to Roscoe’s, but he refused to name the driver.
“I never had nothing to do with it. I wasn’t there. I didn’t tell nobody to do nothing. I didn’t hand nobody no gun,” he stated.
As mentioned, Rock’s mother also spoke to Rolling Stone on Monday (August 5) following closing arguments. She called Trone’s denial of involved “ridiculous” lies, adding that “surveillance” would “speak.”
And it did! According to Dillon, the jury looked at surveillance footage from an overhead camera of the location. Trone was captured on video in the driver’s seat. Ultimately, the jury determined that the dad, Freddie, was “driving the car.” His “frayed pants” were reportedly another identifier.
Rolling Stone reports that the jury reached their verdict in less than four hours. Speaking to the outlet, the rapper’s mother detailed how joyous the verdicts made her feel.
“I wanted to jump up and scream, ‘Hallelujah.’ I’m so happy it was quick. We got justice for Rakim. I feel better knowing they’ll be in jail for a long time,” she shared.
A sentencing date is expected to be announced for Trone and Tremont Jones, but it wasn’t announced on Wednesday.
Another notable moment from the jury foreperson was the panel’s official determination that an Instagram Story post from PnB Rock’s fiancée on the day of the incident had nothing to do with the robbery-turned-murder. The jury deputy told RS that Stephanie Sibounheuang’s post couldn’t have played a role in the plot because it went live minutes before the teen shooter entered the restaurant in September 2022.
Stephanie also took the stand in the trial and detailed the final moments before the unnamed shooter fired at PnB Rock and how he saved her life. Most recently, a court determined the teen is still unable to face trial, pausing it for the time being.
