A Dallas County, Texas, jury convicted Kewon White of capital murder Friday in the killing of late rapper MO3, delivering the first verdict against a defendant accused in the 2020 murder-for-hire case.
White was sentenced to life in prison without parole after jurors deliberated for slightly more than three hours. Prosecutors alleged White was the gunman who fatally shot MO3, whose legal name was Melvin Noble, during a daytime pursuit near Interstate 35E in Dallas.
The verdict followed the close of evidence Friday afternoon. Both the prosecution and defense rested their cases before jurors began deliberations.
Prosecutors accused White of pursuing Noble on foot after the rapper abandoned his vehicle. Noble was then shot and killed in November 2020.
The homicide became a high-profile case in Dallas, particularly within the city’s hip-hop community. Noble had established a national following through his music and collaborations before his death.
White is the first of three defendants accused in Noble’s killing to stand trial. Prosecutors have alleged the men participated in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting the rapper.
Kewon White, Rapper Mo3’s Killer, Found Guilty Of Capital Murder
The state’s case identified White as the alleged shooter. His conviction establishes the first criminal judgment stemming from the prosecution’s broader allegations surrounding Noble’s death.
After the guilty verdict, the court imposed a life sentence without the possibility of parole. White’s conviction and sentence remain subject to any post-verdict challenges available under Texas law.
The remaining defendants have yet to face trial. Their cases could shed additional light on prosecutors’ allegations regarding the alleged plot and the events leading to Noble’s death.
Noble’s killing has remained a closely followed Dallas criminal case since 2020. Friday’s verdict marks a significant development in the prosecution’s effort to hold those accused responsible.
For White, the verdict brings the first trial in the case to a conclusion. For Noble’s family, friends and fans, it represents the first courtroom judgment in the killing of the Dallas rapper.
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