Authorities believe the suspects apprehended for Young Dolph’s murder hijacked the vehicle used to escape the scene of the shooting.
According to court documents, a woman reported a carjacking a week before Dolph was shot and killed. She claimed she was approached by two armed men who demanded she hand over her white Mercedes-Benz, and struck with the muzzle of a gun by one of the guys, who fled the scene after hitting her.
After she obliged the suspects’ request, she was chased down as the men were unable to start her car. One of the men allegedly held her at gunpoint as he forced her to get in the vehicle and ordered her to start it. The fingerprints on the car were eventually matched with Cornelius Smith.
Per authorities, the stolen getaway car was used to conduct several crimes, one of which includes Dolph’s murder. On the day the “Get Paid” emcee was shot and killed, Smith and fellow suspect, Justin Johnson, were captured on surveillance footage as they made their escape in the white Benz. The car was later found near an abandoned house, the scene of one of Johnson’s recent music videos. Both suspects have since been placed in police custody, according to the U.S. Marshals.
As REVOLT previously reported, Johnson was arrested in Indiana, while Smith, who was formerly arrested on an auto-theft warrant, was extradited from DeSoto County Jail to Shelby County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony, unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon and theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000.
Meanwhile, Young Dolph’s record label Paper Route Empire is putting together a tribute album in his honor. Paper Route EMPIRE Presents: Long Live Dolph is slated to come out on Jan. 21.