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Four men have been convicted of the first-degree premeditated murder of Jacksonville rapper Foolio, a case that has drawn significant attention due to its connections to gang violence.
On Friday, a Tampa jury found Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, Rashad Murphy, and Davion Murphy guilty of the murder of Foolio, whose legal name was Charles Jones. The incident occurred during celebrations for Jones’ 26th birthday on June 23, 2024. He was ambushed and fatally shot outside a Holiday Inn hotel in Tampa, with three other individuals also sustaining injuries during the attack.
Prosecutors have described the murder as a tragic outcome of an “ongoing gang war” centered in Jacksonville, highlighting the broader context of violence that continues to impact the community.
Foolio, whose real name was Charles Jones, was celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa on June 23, 2024, when investigators said he was ambushed and killed outside a Holiday Inn hotel. Three others were wounded in the shooting.
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Prosecutors said the rapper’s murder is part of an “ongoing gang war” in Jacksonville.
Prosecutors said the four men began planning their “coordinated mission” to kill Jones when he posted flyers to Instagram on June 14, 2024, promoting that he would be in Tampa for his birthday.
According to the state, the men traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa the day before the murder.
In the hours that led up to Jones’ death, prosecutors said Chance and Alicia Andrews tracked Jones and his entourage around Tampa in a silver Chevrolet Cruze, while Gathright, and Davion and Rashad Murphy followed behind in a Chevrolet Impala.
Andrews, whom prosecutors identified as Chance’s girlfriend, was convicted of manslaughter in Jones’ death in October 2025.
During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors surveillance footage of Chance and Andrews at two nightclubs at the same time as Jones in the hours before the shooting.
“They never approached the bouncer, they never approached the door,” Assistant State Attorney Michelle Doherty said about Chance and Andrews during closing arguments, arguing the pair was there only to track Jones’ movements.
Prosecutors said the suspects eventually followed Jones and his entourage to a Holiday Inn, where three shooters, identified by the state as Gathright and Davion and Rashad Murphy, opened fire on Jones and his friends’ vehicles.
Jurors were shown maps of cellphone towers placing Chance’s and Gathright’s phones at the murder scene, along with phone records that showed Chance communicating with Gathright around the time of the shooting.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives testified how spent 9mm shell casings recovered from a safe inside Gathright’s home were a presumptive match to casings found at the murder scene. One detective testified that a rifle found in the safe was “consistent” with one used in the killing.
Following the murder, prosecutors said Chance, Andrews and Rashad Murphy took an Uber back to Jacksonville, while license plate readers captured Davion Murphy leaving Tampa in a Chevrolet Cruze, and Gathright driving a Chevrolet Impala.
Jurors also heard testimony that following Jones’ murder, Rashad Murphy made “celebratory” posts referencing Jones’ death, including one that showed Tom Brady and Bill Belichick celebrating after a Super Bowl victory, and another that read, “Hate me kindly.”
A video shown to jurors also seemingly appeared to show Davion Murphy referencing Jones’ murder, as surveillance video from inside an interview room caught him acting out a shooting following his arrest.
Because first-degree murder is a capital felony in Florida, the four men now face either life in prison or the death penalty. The penalty phase for the four men is scheduled to begin Monday afternoon and conclude Friday, the judge said.
“These defendants brought a gang war from Jacksonville into Hillsborough County, and their violence ends here. This guilty verdict delivers accountability and justice for Charles Jones’ family, but it also sends a clear message that this community will not tolerate ruthless and calculated violence,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
What’s next
Because first-degree murder is a capital felony in Florida, Chance, Gathright, Rashad and Davion Murphy now face either life in prison or the death penalty.
Jurors will weigh aggravating factors, like the nature in which the murder was committed, against mitigating factors, such as the defendant’s prior criminal history, before making their recommendation to the judge.
A unanimous vote for the death penalty is not required in Florida. As of 2023, Florida law requires at least eight out of 12 jurors to agree on a death recommendation.
The penalty phase for Chance, Gathright and the Murphys is scheduled to begin Monday afternoon and conclude Friday, Judge Sisco said.