A California father was convicted of murdering PnB Rock in 2022 after ordering his then 17-year-old son to rob and kill the rapper while he was having lunch with his girlfriend. PnB Rock, born Rakim Allen, was 30 years old.
After a two-week trial and four hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles County jury found Freddie Trone, 42, guilty of one count of murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the Associated Press. Press.
Prosecutors argued during the trial that Trone sent his teenage son to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles to commit the crime and later served as an accomplice after it was completed, according to the AP. Trone’s son has not been publicly named because of his age at the time of the murder.
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PnB Rock in New York in February 2020. Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images
Surveillance footage showed Trone in the parking lot half an hour before Allen was killed. A man named Tremont Jones was also present and punched Allen on video. At that time, the “Selfish” rapper was wearing expensive jewelry on his wrist, reports AP.
Jones is accused of telling Trone the rapper was there and the luxury items he was carrying. He was convicted of two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy for his involvement in the death of a Philadelphia native. His lawyer, David Haas, said he would appeal, AP reports.
While testifying, Trone admitted he was in the parking lot to find customers for his nearby beauty salon. However, he denied any connection with the murder. Instead, he agreed that the killing was “heinous” and described his son as “dangerous,” the paper said.
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Trone’s son is now 19 and has been charged with murder. However, he is still in juvenile detention and a judge has determined that he is not competent to stand trial, AP reports. The LA District Attorney’s office noted that the juvenile will undergo a “mental competency proceeding” on August 28.
On September 12, 2022, Allen was having lunch with his girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, with whom he shares a now 4-year-old daughter, when they were approached by a person who “demanded” that Allen give him his jewelry. He later shot Allen several times before stealing some of his belongings.
Trone, his wife Shauntel Trone and his son were charged about two weeks later, after fleeing to Las Vegas. It is not clear what role Shauntel played in the robbery and murder. She pleaded no contest to complicity after the fact in July and will be sentenced on January 16, 2025.
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PnB Rock in New York in February 2020. Bennett Raglin/Getty
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Trone and Jones are scheduled to be sentenced on August 27.
“Today, justice was served for Mr. Allen and his family who have suffered unimaginable pain in losing a loved one to such senseless violence,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. “We extend our deepest condolences to them and the entire community. Thank you to my office’s Community Violence Reduction Unit for their unwavering commitment to seeking justice for Mr. Allen and holding Mr. Trone and Mr. Jones accountable for their actions. Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our community: our office will tirelessly pursue charges and work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.”
PEOPLE reached out to Freddie’s attorney Winston McKesson for comment, but he did not immediately respond.
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