On July 29, the Tampa Police Department reported that three individuals had been arrested in connection with the murder of rapper Julio Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones. The suspects—Sean Gathright, 18, Alicia Andrews, 21, and Isaiah Chance Jr., 21—were taken into custody in Jacksonville.
Each faces charges of premeditated first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder, both involving a firearm. Gathright also faces additional charges for tampering with physical evidence and multiple counts of first-degree murder with a firearm.
Police have also issued arrest warrants for two other individuals, Rashad Murphy, 30, and Davion Murphy, 27, who are wanted for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and three counts of attempted first-degree murder each. Foolio, 26, was fatally shot on June 23 while celebrating his birthday at a Tampa hotel. His attorney stated that Foolio was ambushed by his attackers during the celebration.
According to the Tampa Police Department, the five suspects conspired to murder Foolio between June 21-23. They traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa with the intention of killing him as retaliation for an ongoing gang feud. On June 23, Chance and Andrews tracked Foolio to multiple locations, using cell phones to coordinate with additional vehicles involved in the attack.
Foolio, who had been kicked out of an Airbnb where he was celebrating, was trying to book a hotel room when the shooting occurred. The police report indicates that Foolio’s location was publicly shared multiple times before the incident. The shooters, identified as Davion and Rashad Murphy along with Gathright, targeted Foolio’s vehicle, resulting in his death and injuries to three others.
The motive behind the shooting is believed to be connected to a long-standing gang rivalry between Foolio’s “6 Block” gang and the rival gangs ATK and 1200. This feud has reportedly led to numerous violent incidents over the years.
The police suggest that the suspects acted in concert to track and kill Foolio as part of this ongoing gang conflict. Foolio’s latest project was an album titled *April’s Resurrection*, which he released despite previous threats to his life.