Pnb Rock murder trial: Two men found guilty in rapper's shooting death, reports say
Two men have been found guilty in the 2022 shooting death of rapper PnB Rock, according to reports.
The verdict reached Wednesday in Los Angeles court determined that Freddie Trone and Tremont Jones took part in the murder of PnB Rock (real name: Rakim Allen), who was shot by Trone’s teen son during a robbery at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in South L.A., according to Rolling Stone and The Associated Press.
Trone was reportedly found guilty of felony murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy. Jones, who prosecutors alleged informed Trone of Rock’s presence at Roscoe’s, was convicted on two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy.
Trone’s son, now 19, was charged with murder in the case, but the judge found that he is not competent to stand trial at this time, per AP. He remains in the custody of the juvenile system.
Rock’s mother Deannea Allen told Rolling Stone she was “elated” by the verdict.
“I wanted to jump up and scream, ‘Hallelujah.’ I’m so happy it was quick,” Allen told the magazine. “We got justice for Rakim. I feel better knowing they’ll be in jail for a long time.”
Pnb Rock dies: Rapper shot and killed at Los Angeles restaurant
Attorney Winston McKesson told the AP that Trone plans to file a motion for a new trial, while Jones’ lawyer David Haas said he plans to appeal the verdict.
Prosecutors reportedly claimed that Trone’s son was acting on his father’s behalf in his murder of Rock. Meanwhile, the defense argued that Trone was an accessory to the crime in the robbery’s aftermath.
“There is no evidence he gave his son a gun and no evidence he told him to shoot the guy,” McKesson told AP. “The only evidence the jury found is that he dropped him off and picked him up.”
What happened in death of PnB Rock?
Rock died in September 2022 at the age of 30 while dining at the Los Angeles restaurant Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles with his partner Stephanie Sibounheuang.
Los Angeles police Capt. Kelly Muniz told USA TODAY at the time that an individual approached the rapper while he was seated at a table and demanded items from him before shooting him "multiple times" and fleeing. Following the shooting, Rock was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
A month after Rock’s murder, Sibounheuang mourned the “Selfish” rapper’s death in an emotional social media post, praising her late partner as “loyal” and “patient.”
"I am 100% not OK," Sibounheuang wrote on Instagram at the time, alongside a video collage of the couple. "My man saved my life, throwing me under that table. I'm not supposed to be here but (because) of him I am."
'My man saved my life': PnB Rock's girlfriend pens heartbreaking post following rapper's death
Rock is survived by Sibounheuang and their daughter Zuri, as well as the rapper’s daughter Milan, from a previous relationship.
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff, Melissa Ruggieri and Pamela Avila, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pnb Rock murder trial: Two men found guilty in rapper's death