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Freddie Trone Found Guilty in the Murder of Rapper PnB Rock

A Los Angeles jury convicted Freddie Trone, 42, on Wednesday of multiple charges including murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with the death of rapper PnB Rock.

Trone’s conviction follows the September 2022 shooting of the Philadelphia hip-hop artist at a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Los Angeles. PnB Rock, whose real name was Rakim Hasheem Allen, was dining with his girlfriend and their four-year-old child when a teenager wearing a ski mask entered the restaurant, demanded the rapper’s jewelry, and opened fire.

According to police, the teenager removed items from PnB Rock before fleeing in a getaway car that Trone was accused of driving. The rapper suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a local hospital within an hour of the attack.

Prosecutors argued that the teenager was acting on Trone’s orders. They described the incident as a “coordinated act” aimed at stealing jewelry worth approximately half a million dollars. During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson stated that Trone played a central role in the robbery-murder scheme.

Trone’s defense, however, contended that he was merely an accessory after the fact and did not directly instruct his son to commit the crime. His attorney argued that the prosecution had targeted the wrong individual and alleged racial bias in the case.

The teenager, now 19, faces separate charges of murder and robbery but has not been found competent to stand trial. A third individual, Tremont Jones, was also charged and found guilty of two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. Both Jones and Trone are scheduled for sentencing on August 27.

District Attorney George Gascón commented on the verdict, stating, “Justice has been served for Mr. Allen and his family who have endured unimaginable pain losing a loved one to such senseless violence. Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our community: our office will relentlessly pursue charges and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”

Following the shooting, PnB Rock’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, recounted the traumatic events on Instagram, expressing her grief and describing how PnB Rock had saved her life during the attack. She wrote, “I feel so empty. My world is dark now. My heart is broken for the kids.”

PnB Rock, born in Philadelphia in 1991, achieved fame with his 2016 hit “Selfish” and collaborated with artists such as Ed Sheeran. He released his final song, “Luv Me Again,” just two days before his death. Tributes to PnB Rock poured in from the music community, with Drake, Offset, and Nicki Minaj among those who honored his memory.

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