Nearly two months after the death of rapper Julio Foolio, a manhunt is still underway for a suspect who remains on the loose.
Julio Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones, was fatally shot while celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa on June 23. Three others were injured in the ambush in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Tampa North.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez and Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters announced the arrests of three suspects at a press conference on July 29.
Sean A. Gathright, Alicia L. Andrews and Isaiah J. Chance were denied bond while appearing in court on August 9. All three are charged with pre-meditated first-degree murder with a firearm and conspiracy to commit pre-meditated first-degree murder with a firearm.
Gathright is also facing attempted premeditated first-degree murder and evidence tampering charges.
Gathright is 18 years old, while Andrews and Chance are both 21 years old.
Officials also announced two additional individuals wanted for murder during the press conference, 30-year-old Rashad Murphy and 27-year-old Davion Murphy. Both are facing charges of pre-meditated first-degree murder with a firearm, conspiracy to commit pre-meditated first-degree murder with a firearm and attempted murder charges.
Rashad Murphy was arrested less than 24 hours later following a dramatic standoff. Officials spent hours negotiating with Rashad Murphy before finally forcing him out of an apartment complex.
He is scheduled to appear in court in Jacksonville in September.
Tampa Police Department told Newsweek that Davion Murphy is still wanted.
All five suspects are life in prison if convicted.
Officials said they were all members of or associated with two gangs, the ATK and the 1200. Both groups are rival gangs of the Six Block gang, which Jones was a part of.
“I want to send a clear message to anyone that the city of Tampa is not where you want to come to settle a dispute,” Bercaw said at the press conference last month. “You will be charged, you will be arrested and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
Bercaw identified Gathright, Rashad Murphy and Davion Murphy as the shooters. Lopez explained why all five are facing murder charges.
“In Florida, if you participate in the planning of a murder, you can be held accountable for the person’s death, and that is what we intend to do here,” Lopez said.
Jones’ mother, Sandrikas Mays, previously told Newsweek that her son’s careers choice resulted in several shooting attempts.
“We have to understand that Charles wasn’t getting shot at because he killed somebody, because he robbed somebody, because anything like that,” Mays said. “That’s not what happened. All this happened because of rapping.”
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