A man in Los Angeles County has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder of rapper PnB Rock by sending his 17-year-old son to carry out the crime. Freddie Trone, 42, was convicted of murder, robbery, and conspiracy charges after his son shot the hip-hop star during a robbery at a restaurant in South Los Angeles in September 2022.
The prosecution argued that Trone directed his son to commit the murder, while the defense claimed he was only an accessory after the fact. Trone's son, who is now 19, was charged with murder but is currently deemed incompetent to stand trial and is in juvenile custody.
Another individual, Tremont Jones, was also found guilty of robbery and conspiracy charges in connection with the incident. Jones was not charged with murder.
Trone's lawyer plans to file a motion for a new trial, arguing that there was no evidence of his client conspiring to commit murder. The defense highlighted that Trone denied any involvement in the killing and emphasized that he did not provide a gun to his son.
PnB Rock, whose real name is Rakim Allen, was a well-known rapper with hits like “Selfish” and collaborations with other artists. The defense put Trone on the stand, where he denied any role in the murder and acknowledged the severity of the crimes committed by his son.
Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson argued that Trone's actions constituted felony murder due to his significant role in the crime and reckless disregard for human life. Surveillance footage showed Trone in the restaurant's parking lot before the murder, with prosecutors alleging that he was tipped off about the rapper's presence and jewelry by Jones.
