Two men have been found guilty on all charges in the 2022 murder of rapper PnB Rock.
According to Rolling Stone, Freddie Trone, 42, was convicted of murder, robbery, and conspiracy for orchestrating the fatal robbery that claimed the life of Rakim Allen, known as PnB Rock, at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in Los Angeles on September 12, 2022. Trone reportedly sent his 17-year-old son to rob the rapper and then acted as the getaway driver.
During the trial, Trone’s defense argued that he was unaware of his son’s intentions and was at Roscoe’s to promote his beauty supply business. However, the jury dismissed this claim, particularly focusing on the six-minute period during which Trone allegedly armed his son.
PnB Rock’s fiancée, Stephanie Sibounheuang, was accused of inadvertently revealing their location through a social media post, but the jury determined that the post did not contribute to the crime. Sibounheuang testified about PnB Rock’s efforts to protect her during the attack.
Trone maintained that he had no involvement in the robbery plot, and his lawyer argued that the case against him was weak. Nonetheless, the jury convicted both defendants.
PnB Rock was shot once in the chest and twice in the back by a masked assailant who demanded his jewelry and threatened to kill his girlfriend while they were having lunch on September 12, 2022, at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles on West Manchester Avenue.
The Philadelphia-born rapper gained fame in 2016 with his hit single “Selfish” and later found crossover success through collaborations, including Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me.” His death sent shockwaves through the hip-hop community.