Young Dolph‘s murder case has two new persons of interest!
Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., professionally known as Young Dolph, was a rapper who tragically died at the hands of two gunmen in Memphis, Tennessee.
As reported by TMZ, authorities have successfully arrested the late entertainer’s murderers; however, the ongoing investigations have yielded two more suspects.
Young Dolph’s Murder Case Has Two New Suspects
On Sunday, February 20, the Memphis police department announced that they were searching for two persons of interest in the Chicago rapper’s murder case.
In the “100 Shots” artist’s homicide investigation, this new lead was made public after authorities failed to locate the suspects — Devin Burns and Joshua Taylor.
On that note, the cops wanted the public’s help to arrest the named men, who appeared to have played a role in the cold-blooded November 17, 2021 shooting.
Although their involvement in the crime wasn’t stated, the Memphis police department released the suspects’ physical information — Burns was described as 5’6″ and weighing around 135 lbs while Taylor was about 6’6″ at 180 lbs.
Naturally, these persons of interest were also no strangers to the law as they had previously posed for mug shots. Additionally, authorities wished to arrest Burns for involvement in an unrelated case.
While the hunt for these lawbreakers continued, Dolph’s family could rest easy as the actual shooters responsible for the rapper’s demise were already in police custody.
The felons Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith have been charged with first-degree murder in addition to several other charges, such as being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Regardless of the evidence pointing to their guilt, both men pleaded not guilty to the “Talking to my scale” singer’s murder. A third man Shundale Barnett was also arrested for helping the alleged murderers.
According to authorities, Barnett was taken into custody for serving as a homicide accessory by helping Johnson escape from Tennessee.
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Last month, The Blast shared that the “By Mistake” rapper’s killers were brought in to face justice by the U.S Marshals after an intense manhunt.
Following their crime, the shooters went into hiding; Johnson was apprehended along a highway between Indianapolis and Louisville, found at Terre Haute in Indiana.
The DeSoto County police arrested Smith and his conspirator before being transported to Memphis to face first-degree murder charges.
Before the killers’ arrest, the U.S. Marshals placed a $15,000 bounty on Johnson for his involvement in Dolph’s murder. However, the 23-year-old claimed he was innocent on social media.
At the time, the wannabe rapper who went by Straight Drop stated he would willingly surrender to the authorities, but that never happened until he was forced into cuffs.
Surprisingly on the day of his arrest, the felon released a new music video for his song “Track Hawk,” where Johnson rapped about wearing a mask and firing 50 gunshots in 20 seconds.
This music video was allegedly filmed in the same house where police found the getaway Mercedes Benz used in the brutal shooting.
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The “1 Scale” Rapper Was Laid To Rest With A Private Celebration Of Life Ceremony
Last November, The Blast revealed that Dolph’s funeral was a private ceremony, where little to no access was granted by the Memphis Police Department.
The late rapper’s corpse was escorted to its final resting by the authorities, who also blocked off certain places to control traffic and allow the deceased’s family to grieve in privacy.
However, the secluded event may have also been a safety precaution as the Chicago native’s candlelight memorial was attacked by unknown gunmen, leading to one injured person.
At the time, fans had organized a vigil outside Makeda’s Cookies shop, where the “To Be Honest” artist was viciously gunned down by masked men carrying AK-47 assault rifles.
According to sources, the beloved entertainer gave back to his community by handing out Thanksgiving Turkeys before his heartbreaking death.
The “RNB” rapper’s life and achievements were celebrated at the First Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, in which pictures of the private ceremony were shared on social media.
These photos include the program that contained images of Dolph and his loved ones, such as his two children and his grandmother.
