Two men found guilty in murder case of PnB Rock
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced for the 2022 murder of Philadelphia emcee PnB Rock. The Catch These Vibes creator was shot dead in front of his girlfriend while eating at Roscoe’s LA Waffle House after being targeted for his jewellery.
PnB Rock had no connection to the area. However, the Los Angeles Police Department concluded that a multitude of geotagged social media posts that the rapper’s girlfriend shared on Instagram during their meal helped the killer locate the star and carry out the fatal attack.
It has now been revealed that the trigger was pulled by a 17-year-old who was coerced to kill PnB Rock by his father, Freddie Trone. The gunman’s father has been sentenced to 31 years to life in prison. However, throughout the process, he insisted that he was not the killer and, therefore, didn’t deserve the sentence he ultimately received.
During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson told the jury that Trone “sent his son out on a coordinated act to rob watches, rings and chains off of a person.”
On multiple occasions, Trone’s defence team insisted he was merely an accessory after the crimes, not the actual perpetrator. However, in August, the Los Angeles Police Department found Trone guilty of murder, two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.
His 46-year-old co-conspirator Tremont Jones was convicted of two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit theft and faces a sentence of 12 years in prison. However, he was not charged with murder.
His son has also been charged, but the court is assessing whether he is mentally competent to stand trial. His case will go through juvenile court. The projected sentence has not yet been announced.
Following the sentencing of Jones and Trone, the Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón made a statement, declaring, “Today, justice has been served with the sentencing of two men for the tragic and senseless murder.” Gascón continued, “His life was cut short by an act of violence that no family should have to endure.” Trone’s legal team have said he plans to appeal against his own sentence.