MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Fox13) — Both of the gunmen wanted for the murder of beloved Memphis rapper Young Dolph are now in custody.
The U.S. Marshals said that one of the suspects, 23-year-old Justin Johnson, was captured in Indiana on Tuesday, Jan. 11 around 3 p.m.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, the second suspected gunman, Cornelius Smith was also arrested & booked into Shelby County Jail, charged with first-degree murder for the rapper’s death.
Johnson’s arrest comes less than a week after the Marshals identified him as one of the people responsible for the death of Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Robert Thornton Jr.
A $15,000 reward for information leading to Johnson’s arrest was announced by the U.S. Marshals Service, who believe that Johnson was one of two people who opened fire on the famous rapper on Nov. 17, 2021 when he was inside of Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways Blvd.
Johnson took to social media shortly before his capture, announcing that he would turn himself in at 201 Poplar, but he never showed up, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s office.
Johnson faces charges of first-degree murder and theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000. He also has an outstanding warrant for violation of federal release related to a weapons conviction.
Smith, 32, is also charged with first-degree murder, along with attempted first-degree murder, unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon, employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony & theft of property between $10,000 & $60,000.
Smith was arrested on Dec. 9 in Southaven on an auto-theft warrant involving the white Mercedes Benz vehicle used in Young Dolph’s murder.
Weirich’s office said that the Mercedes was stolen in a carjacking on Nov. 10 at a gas station on Kirby Rd. Working on information from a tipster who said the car was used in the murder of Young Dolph, police found the car on Nov. 20 in the 1100 block of Bradley St. in Orange Mound, three days after the world-renowned artist was gunned down.
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