3 Arrested, 2 Wanted In Rapper’s Gang-Related Murder: Tampa Police

TAMPA, FL — Three people have been arrested in connection with the June 23 gang-related murder of rapper Charles Jones, known as Julio Foolio, according to a Tampa Police Department news release.

Investigators are looking for two additional suspects in his death, who remain at large: 30-year-old Rashad Murphy and 27-year-old Davion Murphy.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call Tampa police at 813-231-6130 or contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-TIPS.

Alicia L. Andrews, 27, and Isaiah J. Chance, 21, were each charged with one count of premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm and one count of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm.

Sean A. Gathright, 18, was charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm, three counts of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

Tampa police and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office urge anyone that could assist with the location of Rashad Murphy and Davion Murphy to provide that information to investigators.

Between June 21 and 23, the five suspects conspired to murder Jones, Tampa police said.

They traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa on June 22 in two separate vehicles to find and kill the rapper in retaliation for an ongoing rival gang feud, investigators said.

Chance and Andrews tracked and followed Jones and his entourage to two separate locations on June 23. At each location, they called the others involved with the plan. Each time, a second suspect vehicle showed up.

Both vehicles followed the rapper and his group to Home 2 Suites at 11606 McKinley Drive, where he was killed.

At the hotel, one vehicle drove by the victim’s parked vehicles twice and left. Then, three shooters, later identified as Rashad Murphy, Sean Gathright and Davion Murphy, got out of another vehicle and opened fire on the victim and his entourage, police said.

Jones was killed and three others were injured.

The rapper is known by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to be a 6 Block gang member. The 6 Block gang has an ongoing feud with two other allied street gangs known as ATK and 1200. Chance is a known ATK member, Rashad is known as a 1200 gang member and Davion Murphy is a 1200 gang associate.

The feud has spanned more than a decade with dozens of murders by and against both sides, police said.

The two law enforcement agencies worked together to gather evidence and develop leads to identify the suspects and make the three arrests.

The sheriff’s office SWAT team arrested Andrews and Chance at a Jacksonville home Saturday and Gathright at a shopping center. They were all booked into Duval County Jail.

“The city of Tampa is not where you want to come to settle a dispute. You will be arrested, you will be charged, and you will be prosecuted. Our detectives remain committed to holding all those responsible accountable for their actions,” Tampa police Chief Lee Bercaw said. “This case is a prime example of the cooperation and collaboration of all those in law enforcement to bring dangerous criminals to justice. We hope these arrests provide some closure for the victims’ families and loved ones.”