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On Wednesday, February 8, XXXTentacion murder suspect Robert Allen testified about the series of events that led to the shooting of the 20-year-old rap star in 2018.
According to Vibe, on June 18, 2018, Robert Allen was allegedly among four suspects who ambushed XXXTentacion in a Florida parking lot during what has been described as a robbery, before one of the gunmen fatally shot him six times.
On August 12, 2022, Robert Allen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against his reported accomplices. Allen claimed that despite being at the scene of the murder, he was not directly involved, as he never left the getaway SUV utilized by the suspects in the killing.
Besides Allen, the individuals implicated in the murder are Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams. Boatwright was reportedly responsible for firing the fatal shots.
What was Robert Allen's role in the XXXTentacion murder?
According to Robert Allen, the sequence of events that led to the murder of XXXTentacion began on the day of the shooting. Allen and the other suspects had reportedly already planned a general crime spree, though the 20-year-old rapper was not initially an intended target. He stated that while they were on their way to purchase black masks for a series of robberies, they recognized the rapper enter RIVA motorsports, a motor vehicle store.
Williams then reportedly pointed out the young rapper's car in the parking lot and suggested that they rob him. They supposedly recognized the vehicle based on pictures that XXXTentacion had posted of the car on Instagram.
Allen claimed that while he did not know that his cohorts planned to rob the 20-year-old, he accused Williams of telling him to enter RIVA motorsports in order to confirm XXXTentacion's presence. According to People News, it was during this time that Williams purchased the masks which would be used in the killing.
Allen told the court that he was hesitant about following through with the plan, as he was aware of the extensive surveillance in the area.
He said:
"I don't think that's a good idea."
As per Complex, Allen refused to leave the vehicle, as he thought robbing the 20-year-old would lead to their arrests. Allen claimed that since Williams was the getaway driver at the scene, Boatwright and Newsome confronted the rapper in the parking lot.
Allen said:
“As (XXXTentacion was) driving, coming out of RIVA Motorsports, Dedrick [Williams] blocks (the rapper and the passenger) off, and Michael Boatwright and Trayvon Newsome get out and rob them."
According to prosecutors, despite successfully stealing the rapper's bag, Boatwright quickly walked back to the scene and fatally shot him with a short-barrelled rifle. The passenger in the victim's car, identified as the rapper's uncle, fled without sustaining any injuries.
While the defendants claim that the entire shooting stemmed from a robbery attempt, Florida authorities have investigated the possibility that it was a targeted killing. Allen's sentencing is scheduled for February 23.
