Young Dolph death: 4th man wanted in Memphis slaying of rapper turns self in, police say

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WLS) — One of many males needed within the loss of life of Memphis rapper Younger Dolph has turned himself in.

The video featured is from a earlier report.

Jemarcus Johnson is one among 4 males arrested in reference to the capturing loss of life of Younger Dolph, whose actual title is Adolph Robert Thornton, Junior.

The Chicago-born rapper was gunned down in a daylight ambush at a well-liked cookie store on Nov. 17. He was 36 years outdated.

Three folks have been beforehand arrested and charged.

Johnson is being held within the Shelby County Jail in Tennessee on one rely of conspiracy to commit first diploma homicide.

In accordance with jail information, his bond is ready at $300,000.

In January, a grand jury indicted Cornelius Smith, 32, on first-degree homicide and different fees within the rapper’s homicide. Smith was arrested in Indiana on an auto-theft warrant involving the automobile utilized in Younger Dolph’s killing.

Individually, the U.S. Marshals Service mentioned Justin Johnson, 23, was arrested, after a homicide warrant was issued for him in January. The company didn’t say the place in Indiana that Johnson was discovered.

The person charged with arranging the killing, 43-year-old Hernandez Govan, pleaded not responsible Thursday, ABC Information reported. Govan made a short look in Shelby County Prison Court docket in Memphis. He was arrested final week after he was indicted on fees together with first-degree homicide and conspiracy to commit first-degree homicide. The decide scheduled Govan’s subsequent listening to for Dec. 16.

Johnson and Smith have pleaded not responsible to first-degree homicide and different fees within the capturing and are being held in jail with out bond. They’re scheduled to look in court docket on Jan. 20.

The capturing surprised Memphis and shocked the leisure world. Metropolis officers and neighborhood activists pointed to the killing as a logo of the hazards of gun violence in Memphis, the place greater than 300 homicides have been reported final 12 months.

Recognized for his depictions of powerful avenue life and his impartial method to the music enterprise, Younger Dolph was admired for charitable works in Memphis. He organized Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, donated hundreds of {dollars} to excessive colleges, and paid hire and lined funeral prices for folks within the Castalia Heights neighborhood the place he was raised.

His work as a rapper, producer and proprietor of the impartial label “Paper Route Empire” took him away from Memphis, however the father of two had returned to town days earlier than his killing to go to a sick relative and arrange a turkey giveaway that befell with out him.

After Younger Dolph’s loss of life, a bit of a avenue close to his boyhood dwelling was renamed for him. A non-public funeral was held and he was honored throughout a public celebration at FedExForum, the house of the Memphis Grizzles of the NBA and the College of Memphis males’s basketball group.

Metropolis officers and neighborhood activists additionally pointed to the killing as a logo of the scourge of gun violence in Memphis. Because the rapper’s loss of life, Memphis has seen a number of different high-profile killings this 12 months, together with the capturing of a United Methodist Church pastor throughout a carjacking in her driveway; the kidnapping and capturing of an elementary college instructor who police mentioned was kidnapped throughout an early morning run; and a person’s daylong capturing rampage that was partially livestreamed and led to the loss of life of three folks.

Younger Dolph is one among a number of outstanding hip-hop artists to be killed lately. His impartial method to the music enterprise drew comparisons to Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot in 2019. Different rappers who’ve misplaced their lives to gun violence since 2018 embody XXXTentacion, Pop Smoke and, most lately, Takeoff, who was killed exterior of a bowling alley after a celebration in Houston on Nov. 1.

In an article in The Atlantic dated Tuesday, rappers Too Quick and E-40 referred to as for the hip-hop neighborhood to search out methods to return collectively and assist one another amid the spate of gun deaths within the trade.

Younger Dolph was born in Chicago and moved to Memphis along with his dad and mom when he was 2. He launched quite a few mixtapes, beginning with 2008s “Paper Route Marketing campaign,” and a number of studio albums, together with his 2016 debut “King of Memphis.” He additionally collaborated on different mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others.

He had three albums attain the highest 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020s “Wealthy Slave” peaking at No. 4.

Younger Dolph had survived earlier shootings. He was shot a number of instances in September 2017 after a struggle exterior a Los Angeles lodge. In February of that 12 months, his SUV was shot at in Charlotte, North Carolina, greater than 100 instances. That was the inspiration for the tune “100 Photographs.” He mentioned he survived as a result of he had bulletproof panels in his automobile.

In a weekly publication, Shelby County District Lawyer Steve Mulroy mentioned Govan “solicited the homicide and put it in movement.” However no proof has been made public to assist that assertion, and a suspected motive has not been disclosed. The investigation is ongoing.

ABC Information, CNN and the Related Press contributed to this publish.