Florida authorities announced the arrests of three suspects in the slaying of the rapper Foolio last month. Two suspects remain at large. The arrests were linked to an ongoing feud between rival gangs, according to Tampa police.
Charles Jones, known as Foolio, was fatally shot on June 23 in the parking lot of an uptown Tampa hotel. Police found two vehicles that had been shot at in the lot.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrests on social media, identifying the suspects as Sean Gathright, 18, Alicia Andrews, 21, and Isaiah Chance Jr., 21.
Andrews and Chance face charges of premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm and conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm.
Gathright is charged with two counts of premeditated murder with a firearm, three counts of first-degree attempted premeditated murder with a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence. They are detained in the Duval County Pre-Trial Detention Center, awaiting transfer to Tampa.
The suspects still at large are Rashad Murphy, 30, and Davion Murphy, 27. Both are charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Authorities have not confirmed if the Murphys are related.
On the day of the shooting, Chance and Andrews followed Jones and his entourage to two locations, using a cellphone to communicate their whereabouts. Subsequently, a second vehicle joined, and both followed Jones to the hotel.
At the scene, a vehicle circled the parked cars twice before three shooters exited and began firing, killing Jones and injuring three others. Tampa police identified the suspects involved as Rashad Murphy, Sean Gathright, and Davion Murphy.
Jones was documented as a member of Jacksonville's "6 Block" gang, which has longstanding feuds with the "ATK" and "1200" gangs. Chance is an ATK member, while Rashad and Davion Murphy are associated with 1200. This feud has resulted in numerous murders over the past decade.
The arrested suspects' legal representation was not immediately clear. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shared a video of the arrests, with Sheriff T.K. Walters emphasizing the state's resolve to pursue criminals.
State Attorney Susan Lopez underscored that all five defendants face life sentences, noting the legal accountability for those involved in planning a murder.
Lopez highlighted the personal impact of the homicide on Jones's family, stressing the fight for justice for his mother. Jones, who had a significant social media following, was celebrating his 26th birthday the night he was killed.
He had posted about his plans for the evening and a police encounter at his Airbnb before relocating to the Holiday Inn, where he was ambushed. Jones had recently released an album and previously survived multiple attempts on his life.
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