Facebook Dedrick D. Williams
Dedrick D. Williams, a Florida man with a criminal history for auto theft who referred to himself as a “demon” online, now stands accused in connection with the murder of up-and-coming rapper XXXTentacion, who was gunned down in his luxury BMW outside a motorsports dealer. According to online records, Dedrick Williams was arrested on June 20 by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department.
The suspect’s Facebook and Instagram pages show him flashing wads of money and, less than a day before the arrest was announced, he wrote on Facebook, “Don’t piss me off u will never know wats next ????” He uses the name “Chucky Williams” on Facebook. He was on felony probation through 2021 at the time of XXX’s shooting. You can see more photos of Dedrick Williams later in this story as well as the content of some of his social media posts, which are disturbing.
Michael Boatwright now stands accused of being the second suspect. You can read about him here.
A post on the Facebook page of Dedrick D. Williams.
For example, on Instagram, Dedrick Williams’ page contains a post from June 10 that reads, “I just b ZOOLIN but I’ll lock and get a grip and shake a n*gga til he stiff ??? #LASTNIGHT.” He went by the nickname “Tattooman” on Instagram. In May, he wrote on Instagram, “26.13.6 Ima Demon??” He appears to be a tattoo artist, as evidenced by numerous photos online.
NBC Miami was the first to report that Williams’ arrest was related to XXXTentacion’s June 18 murder outside of Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The rapper was 20-years-old. His alleged shooter is 22. Police had said early in the investigation that the suspected motive was robbery and was not related to any beefs that the rapper had with other artists.
Dedrick Williams
Here’s what you need to know:
1. XXXTentacion’s Mother Was Seen on Video Learning of the Arrest & Dedrick Williams’ Brother Posted a Video Proclaiming His Innocence
The news that a suspect was under arrest in the case was broken to XXXTentacion’s mother at a vigil for her son. A TMZ report, which contained video of the rapper’s mom, Cleopatra Bernard, learning the news, also says that the arrest may have been related to a police chase on I-95. You can watch that video above.
The Instagram video published by @StreetWatcherzX showed people cheering at the vigil. The caption for the video read, “#XXXTentacion mom receives a text message from the detective that they caught the shooter.” XXXTentacion was close to his mother, although he was also raised by his grandmother and previously commented that he felt like his mother was more of a sister.
Dedrick Devonshay Williams
Authorities in Broward County confirmed the arrest of Dedrick Devonshay Williams, but haven’t released many more details.
“In just more than 48 hours, #BSO homicide detectives arrested Dedrick Devonshay Williams for the murder of Jahseh Onfroy, also known as XXXTentacion. Williams (dob 3/23/96) was taken into custody shortly before 7p.m. in Pompano. More details will be released later today,” The Broward County Sheriff reported on Twitter, along with a mugshot of Dedrick Williams.
According to the arrest report, contact was made with Williams as he drove a 2004 Silver Honda Accord by himself. He does not have a valid driver’s license and has a suspended ID card. He was placed in custody on a probation violation, for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, and for first-degree murder, no bond. You can read the arrest report here:
The records accuse Williams of murdering XXXTentacion with “a premeditated design to effect the death of a human being, Jahseh Onfroy” and allege he did “have an active part and did kill and murder by shooting him with a deadly weapon, to wit: a gun.”
In just more than 48 hours, #BSO homicide detectives arrested Dedrick Devonshay Williams for the murder of Jahseh Onfroy, also known as XXXTentacion. Williams (dob 3/23/96) was taken into custody shortly before 7p.m. in Pompano. More details will be released later today.
Dedrick Williams’ brother also posted a video on YouTube and statement on Facebook proclaiming his brother’s innocence after news of the arrest broke. The Facebook post read, “?️ON MY #Z ?❗️ YALL WONT FRAME MY Z.O.M.B.I.E ON ?I Won’t These Crackers Trick My Brother 26 ZHOT??? Chucky Williams Ain’t Kill No One ?????❗️ #1k????????❗️.”
The YouTube video is laden with the N word. The language is extremely disturbing. In part of the video, he says, “Keep my brother’s name out of your mother f*ckin’ mouth, my n*gga. You know what I’m saying. We didn’t plan no games…Mind ya’all business. …F*ckin’ n*gga.”
Dedrick Williams
Police had earlier said that two suspects were seen fleeing the scene of the murder and that one suspect was wearing a red mask. A pair of rappers took to their social media pages to proclaim their innocence after the Internet falsely accused them of murder but were not the suspect eventually accused by authorities. The sheriff’s department had been offering $3,000 for information that led to an arrest in the case. It now appears there may be more than one suspect, although the others’ names were not released yet because they were not yet in custody.
Williams has already appeared in court, where he was held without bond.
(XXXTentacion Murder Suspect Dedrick D. Williams Appears in Court)
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XXXTentacion’s music has taken off even more after his death. The rapper “has the no. 1 and no. 2 albums on Amazon’s Movers and Shakers Digital Music list. His album ‘?’ — which dropped in March — saw a whopping 41,306% spike in a matter of hours. XXX’s ’17’ album is up nearly 9,000%,” TMZ reported.
2. Dedrick Devonshay Williams Has a Criminal History in Broward County for Grand Theft Auto
Dedrick Williams
Who is Dedrick Devonshay Williams? Court records in Broward County, Florida describe him as 5′ 4″ and 185 pounds and paint the picture of a troubled life long before he’s accused of shooting one of the country’s most popular new rappers. He was accused most recently of felony grand theft auto, court records show, and he was on felony probation. That charge brings to mind the accusations by police that XXX was shot in a heist; the rapper was slain as he sat in his expensive BMW after leaving a dealership where he’d been looking at motorcycles. The grand theft auto charges were the only convictions on Dedrick Williams’ record, though, although a domestic violence injunction was filed against him in 2014. He was rearrested in one case on a “Warrant Violation of Community Control,” the court records say.
Part of the court document in the Dedrick Williams case.
In one affidavit in an old case, he sought a public defender and indicated that his income was zero. He was acquitted in that case, which was for possessing a firearm. He wrote on Instagram, “Fresh out 2016 just did 23 months #TBT.”
He was also accused of cocaine possession and possessing a weapon as a felon. There is a 2017 letter in that court file from his fiancee, although there is no disposition listed in the court records for that case. It reads in part:
According to Broward County court records, Dedrick Williams was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has a string of previous criminal cases. For example, in 2014, he was accused of felony domestic violence – specifically aggravated assault with a firearm and battery. That court record, which matches the birth date of the man authorities allege is the XXX shooter, says he also went by the name of Dedrick Devon Williams. However, it appears he was not found guilty in that case. He also had a minor traffic case and for riding a bicycle without proper lights. He had a paternity action filed against him, and photos on his Facebook page show him with a young child.
XXX “appeared lifeless with no pulse” after bystanders found him shot in his vehicle outside of Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Video of the rapper unresponsive in his car was shared via Twitter. Graphic videos show the Florida native being checked for a pulse by onlookers. The videos were widely circulated on social media.
Warning: Some viewers may find the video below graphic and disturbing.
For days, some fans had insisted that XXX was really alive, in part by dissecting different elements of the videos. However, authorities quickly confirmed the rapper’s death, and his manager did as well.
3. An Affidavit Says Two Suspects Allegedly Followed XXXTentacion Into the Dealership, Where One Purchased a Mask
A photo from the Facebook page of Dedrick Williams
Although only Dedrick Williams has been named by authorities so far, TMZ is reporting that arrest warrants were issued for three suspects in connection with X’s death. It’s believed the other two suspects aren’t in custody yet, the entertainment site reported, and it’s not clear what role they allegedly played in the murder.
An affidavit filed in the case, and obtained by The New York Times, painted disturbing details of the crime. It says Williams and an accomplice who was not named followed the rapper to the dealership. It does not refer to a third person. XXXTentacion was targeted and followed to the dealership, where one of the assailants bought a mask, according to the affidavit. After X left the dealership, the pair is accused of blocking his car with an SUV, demanding property, and then shooting him. The affidavit said surveillance video from the dealership captured the suspect wearing orange sandals, and Williams wore similar sandals on social media.
Broward County authorities wrote on Twitter, “Detectives from BSO’s Strategic Investigations Division assisted homicide detectives by taking Dedrick Williams into custody Wednesday night following a traffic stop. Detectives are seeking additional suspects. The investigation continues. Updates will be provided once available.”
In a statement, the Broward County Sheriff’s Department said XXXTentacion “was leaving RIVA Motorsports in Deerfield Beach shortly before 4 p.m. when he was approached by two armed suspects.” The statement continued: “At least one of the suspects fired a gun striking Onfroy. Both of the suspects fled in a dark-color SUV. Investigators say it appears to be a possible robbery. Onfroy was transported to Broward Health North where he was pronounced dead. The investigation continues. Anyone with information is urged to contact BSO homicide detectives Walt Foster or John Curcio at 954-321-4210 or Broward Crime Stoppers, anonymously at 954-493-TIPS.”
Initially, an official statement was released by the Broward Sheriff’s Twitter account, stating “currently working an incident regarding a shooting at 3671 N. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach. PIO headed to scene. Dispatchers received a call of a shooting at 3:57 p.m. An adult male victim was transported to an area hospital.”
According to TMZ, the rapper had just finished looking at motorcycles when a gunman shot him. The videos that circulated are graphic and disturbing because of the scene they show, namely a man said to be the rapper lying motionless in his vehicle. Another man looks into the car in one of them.
In audio of the dispatch call, police can be heard saying they think the attack might have been a drive-by shooting, and that the attackers allegedly fled in a black Dodge Journey, according to XXL Mag.
According to XXL magazine, “It’s possible that X was followed by as many as three vehicles after he withdrew money from a bank.” The rapper has reportedly been involved in multiple feuds, but none which were believed to be threatening, TMZ says.
TMZ says a Louis Vuitton bag was removed from the rapper’s car.
4. Dedrick Williams Filled His Social Media With Wads of Cash, Called Himself a Zombie & Wrote About Death & Being Behind Bars
Dedrick Williams was very active on both Instagram and Facebook. In one recent post on Facebook, he wrote, “Some of these n*ggas will tell God on Jesus ??♂️??♂️.” The pages have now filled up with angry comments from people who were fans of XXXTentacion. Many videos on both pages showed Dedrick Williams getting tattoos.
One Instagram video is captioned, “I’ll cut up if u n*ggas piss me off???.” He also wrote, “Thank God I ain’t dead or behind bars ????♂️” That post came from June 5, and shows him wearing a shirt with the name “Tattooman Chucky” emblazoned on it. He also wrote recently, “I’m already a ZOMBIE i ain’t have to sell my soul????♂️????”
A post from May on Instagram read, “Ima just go with life until death call my name ???♂️????.” He also wrote, “Everywhere wea I go I show em wea I’m from ?,” while sitting on the trunk of a red car. His pages are filled with the N word. In one post, he wrote, “N*gga dis is wat dat jungle do ?.”
XXX also had led a troubled life, which raised controversy when his star started to rise in the music world. He was facing legal trouble at the time of the shooting, awaiting trial for domestic violence against his pregnant girlfriend. He was facing more than a dozen felony charges, and prosecutors accused him of witness tampering. XXX was on house arrest but the judge recently let him out so he could tour.
After his music was briefly removed from Spotify under its prior controversial “Hate Content and Hateful Content Policy,” the rapper spoke out on Twitter.
“My songs have been removed from playlists because I’m being accused of something that I haven’t been convicted for,” he wrote earlier this month. “I don’t make hate music. I rap about what goes on in every hood in America.” Donations to a GoFundMe page for his ex-girlfriend have grown in the wake of the shooting death.
5. Dedrick Williams’ Girlfriend Previously Posted About Him on Social Media, Calling Him Her ‘Sweetheart’
InstagramDedrick Williams
A woman who said that she was in a romantic relationship with Williams wrote a previous post on Facebook that read, “IMM F*KKED UP BOUT MY HUSBANDDD FIVE YEARSS GOING ON 6 EVEN IF IT WAS ON AND OFF I WENT THREW HELL WITH CHUCKY EVEN WEN I WAS PREGNANT , EVEN WITH THESE HOES BUT I STILL GOT WAT I WANTED AND U GOT ME F*KKED UP IF U THINK IM GONNA LET A HOE COME BETWEEN US NOBODY’S PERFECT EVERYBODY GONE ARGUEE BUT THATS WAT MAKE US STRONGERRR IMA WAITINN FOR HIM TO COMEE HOMEE U GOT ME MESSED UP IF U THINK IMA F*KKED AROUND ON MY SWEETHEARTTT I LOVEE CHUCKYY #FREEEMYYBABYYYB*TCHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” That post was from 2014.
The page also shared a post purportedly from Williams that year that read in part, “I f*kked up bad I know I did um tired of hurtin u and I know u tired of getting hurt I aint even gne say sorry cause I done said dat sh*t to many times.” It concluded, “Promise tado better.”
XXXTentacion’s childhood was troubled as his mother was young and impoverished, a Miami New Times article reports, so the rapper “spent the first decade of his life cycling through the homes of friends, family, and babysitters.” XXXTentacion leaves behind a fortune to whomever is deemed to be his heir or heirs (he was raised by his grandmother but also had a close relationship with his mother. His father was reportedly incarcerated and he also had a half sister). According to Celebrity Net Worth, he amassed a fortune of $2 million. In 2017, the rapper released his first album through Empire Distribution. “It debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart,” reported Vulture in a timeline of XXXTentacion’s career. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he earned the $2 million through his music career.
InstagramXXXTentacion performs.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, XXXTentacion announced in October 2017 that he had signed a $6 million contract. However, he then terminated that contract, according to the site, although it’s not clear why. In 2017, Billboard reported on the multi-million dollar deal, writing that “Capitol Music Group’s subsidiary Caroline has signed XXXTentacion to a record deal.”
This is a developing story. Heavy will update as more information is known.
