A Suspect Has Been Arrested For The Murder Of XXXTentacion
Three days after the violent murder of XXXTentacion, many are still reeling at the talented artist’s death. Now, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that they have a suspect in custody for the shooting. Dedrick D. Williams was arrested Wednesday (June 20) evening and charged with first degree murder, as well as violating probation for a prior charge related to car theft and driving without a valid license.
Williams, 22, is accused of approaching XXXTentacion while he was at a motorcycle dealership in South Florida, fatally shooting him, and fleeing with a Louis Vuitton bag of money that was stolen from the artist. According to the New York Daily News, Williams has a history of prior offenses, including aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic battery, weapons and cocaine possession, and grand theft auto. Williams allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend’s head in the domestic battery case. Williams’ Instagram page identified him as a tattoo artist. As reported by TMZ, XXXTentacion is one of the people Williams followed.
Williams’ arrest comes amidst a flurry of activity that has occurred since XXXTentacion’s death. A vigil held for him in Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 19) night turned into what’s been described as a riot, causing police to end the impromptu memorial. Among those who attended was Geneva Ayala, a woman with whom XXXTentacion had a child, and who he was accused of physically abusing. The MC was awaiting trial for those charges when he was killed. Ayala claimed on Instagram that she was forced out of the memorial gathering by angry fans, writing “they kicked me out of the vigil. so damn disrespectful. i can’t believe people are that selfish. i wasn’t even there 25 minutes and i literally got pulled away from the memorial. i just wanted to stay. i wasn’t bothering anyone. this is unfair. i’m absolutely devastated. THEY BURNED THE SHIT I LEFT THEY BURNED WHAT I BROUGHT FOR HIM IM SO MAD LIKE IM SCREAMING.”
The sentiments toward Ayala have been mixed since XXXTentacion’s death. While she has endured an enormous level of verbal abuse, she also has received a huge amount of support, including financially. A GoFundMe page she launched to assist her with medical bills she alleges were related to the artist’s abuse has raised more than $10,000 since XXXTentacion’s death, and has grown to a total of $36,000, exceeding her goal of $25,000.
XXXTentacion Has Been Killed In Florida Shooting
Dedrick D. Williams is scheduled to appear in court next week for a probation violation hearing. Several witnesses of XXXTentacion’s murder reported 2 assailants in the crime. It is unclear whether police are still looking for a second suspect.