U.S.

Murder on His Mind: YNW Melly Arrested

Reporter Karley Ross

On February 13th, Florida rapper Jamell Demons, better known as YNW Melly, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder without bond. Police say him and another rapper, YNW Bortlen, also known as Cortlen Henry, killed two of their lifelong friends--- Christopher Thomas JR. (also known as YNW Juvy) and Anthony Williams (also known as YNW Sakchaser).

Before turning himself in, Melly posted to Instagram with Henry, Thomas, and Williams. He wrote “I want you guys to know I love you and appreciate every single one of y’all, a couple months ago I lost my two brothers by violence and now the system want to find justice...”

The murders of Thomas and Williams occured on October 30, 2018. The men were driven to Memorial Hospital Miramar at 4:30 am by Henry who told workers that the men had been victims of a drive-by shooting. Both Thomas and Williams were pronounced dead shortly after their arrival.

Surveillance footage shows Demons getting into a car with Henry, Williams, and Thomas outside of a recording studio late that night. Melly was sitting in the back left seat of the car. Police believe the shots in the murders were fired from the inside of the car in from the direction Demons was sitting.

Henry told the police he and the victims had just finished a late night recording session when a car pulled up on the driver’s side and began shooting as he was pulling off the freeway. Cops confirmed there were eight bullet holes along the side of the car where Thomas and Williams were sitting.

Cops found a shell casing inside of Henry’s vehicle, along with eight identical shell casings in a separate location, which is where they believe Demons and Henry shot the car to represent a drive by shooting. Police think the initial shot was fired from the rear passenger side, where Demons was sitting.

Cell phone records were used in the investigation to place Demons and Henry together with Thomas and Williams. Authorities obtained a Snapchat conversation between Demons and his girlfriend referring to Henry. “I keep him wit me kuz at da end of the day he did one of a realist sh** in my life."

Prior to the murders, Demons had become one of the most popular upcoming rapper with his song “Murder on my Mind” peaking the number 1 spot on Billboard’s Top 100 and since the charge has been getting more attention worldwide.

Interviews have been flying around the internet since Melly has been charged in hope of enlightening people as to why he did what he did. Melly explains his bipolar schizophrenia to reporters, telling them he has 6 different personalities but can only reveal 3 of them to the world.

“My other person inside, Melvin. Everyday, all day [murder] is what he be thinking about,” Melly explains in a interview with Genius where he explains his song ‘Murder on my Mind’ “Some people think about shoes when they wake up, some people think about weird sh**. That dude wake up with the murder on his mind, and I’ll be like, ‘aye, bro, do you.’”