A Los Angeles County jury has found Freddie Trone, 42, guilty of murder, robbery, and conspiracy in connection with the 2022 killing of rapper PnB Rock, whose real name was Rakim Allen. The jury decided after four hours of deliberation following a two-week trial. Prosecutors argued that Trone orchestrated the crime by sending his 17-year-old son to rob and kill the rapper at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles, while the defense contended that Trone was merely an accessory after the fact and not directly involved in the murder.
The case also involved Tremont Jones, who was found guilty of robbery and conspiracy but acquitted of murder. Jones’ defense plans to appeal the verdict. The now-19-year-old son of Trone, who was charged with murder, is in the juvenile system and deemed unfit to stand trial at this time. The prosecution emphasized Trone’s role as a “major participant” who acted with reckless indifference to human life, despite the defense’s claim that there was no direct evidence of Trone’s involvement in the actual shooting.
PnB Rock, a Philadelphia rapper known for hits like “Selfish” and collaborations with artists such as Ed Sheeran, was killed while dining with his family. Surveillance footage linked Jones to the crime, showing him interacting with the rapper before the murder, and revealed Trone’s presence in the parking lot shortly before the incident. The defense’s argument that Trone did not direct the shooting was countered by the prosecution’s portrayal of him as significantly complicit in the criminal act.
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