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A man was found guilty by a Los Angeles jury on Wednesday of sending his 17-year-old son to kill rapper PnB Rock.
Freddie Trone, 42, was found guilty of multiple charges, including murder, two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, after the Philadelphia hip-hop star was shot dead in September 2022.
The rapper was eating at a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, who is the mother of his four-year-old child, when the teen – wearing a ski mask – walked into the restaurant, demanded the artist’s jewellery and opened fire.
Police said the teen removed items from the victim then fled in a waiting getaway car, which Trone was accused of driving, according to local media.
PnB suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a local hospital less than an hour later.
Prosecutors during the trial argued the teen was acting on his father’s orders while Trone’s defence team said he was only an accessory after the crimes.
The teen, who is now 19 years old, was also arrested on murder and robbery charges in the case but, according to local media, he has not been found competent to stand trial yet.
A third man, Tremont Jones, was charged in the case and found guilty on two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit a robbery.
Both Jones and Trone are scheduled to be sentenced on 27 August.
During Trone’s trial, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson told jurors Trone drove his son in a “coordinated act” to steal expensive jewellery, arguing the motive was about a “half a million dollars worth of jewellery,” according to Fox 11 in Los Angeles.
Prosecutors outlined that Jones had seen the rapper at the restaurant and passed along information to Trone as to what jewellery the artist was wearing, the outlet reported.
Trone’s defence team argued he wasn’t there and never told his son or anyone to do anything. His attorney claimed prosecutors had zeroed in on the wrong person and said race played a part in his conviction, Fox 11 reported.
“Justice has been served for Mr Allen and his family who have endured unimaginable pain losing a loved one to such senseless violence,” District Attorney Gascón said Wednesday after the convictions.
“Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our community: our office will relentlessly pursue charges and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”
The rapper’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, said PnB saved her life in the incident, writing on Instagram after the attack: “I’m not supposed to be here but [because] of him. I am”.
She described the traumatic aftermath of the shooting, not being able to ride with him in an ambulance and being forced out of the restaurant as police investigated.
“I feel so empty,” she wrote after the attack. “My world is dark now. My heart is broken for the kids.”
PnB, whose real name is Rakim Hasheem Allen, rose to fame with the release of his 2016 hit Selfish and had collaborated with artists including Ed Sheeran.
Tributes flooded in for PnB after his death, from artists including Drake, who posted a photo of the two together on his Instagram story.
Rapper Offset posted a Twitter tribute urging followers to pray for PnB’s two children, with Nicki Minaj calling him “a pleasure to work with”.
PnB Rock was born in Philadelphia in 1991, going on to record two studio albums, Catch These Vibes and Trapstar Turnt PopStar.
He released his final song, Luv Me Again, just two days before the shooting.
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