YNW Melly Charged With Two Counts of First-Degree Murder

YNW Melly has just been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

According to Miramar, Fla.'s police department, the Florida rapper is responsible for the shooting deaths of 21-year-old Anthony Williams and 19-year-old Christopher Thomas Jr., two friends he publicly mourned after their deaths on Oct. 26, 2018.

In a statement released on Twitter Wednesday night (Feb. 13), cops accuse Melly, born Jamell Demons, and his friend YNW Bortlen, born Cortlen Henry, of staging the scene of the crime to appear as a drive-by shooting.

"Jamell Demons, a.k.a. YNW Melly & Cortlen Henry have been arrested and charged with two counts of first degree murder," begins the statement the department posted earlier this evening. "The victims, Anthony Williams & Christopher Thomas Jr., were killed on 10/26/2018. The investigation, supported by forensic evidence, has concluded that Demons shot and killed Williams & Thomas Jr. and that Demons and Henry staged the crime scene to resemble a drive-by shooting."

Henry, who was arrested in Houston last month before being extradited to Florida's Broward County on Tuesday, was the first person to be arrested for this double murder. Authorities say Henry was driving the Jeep Compass at the time of the shooting. Police note that the statement Henry gave to police didn't match the evidence they'd found at the scene of the crime.

Melly, who was arrested on minor marijuana charges last month, has commented on these allegations in an Instagram post. He denies the accusations, but he confirms that he's turning himself in.

In the post, Melly writes, "To all my fans and supporters no I did not get locked up in Washington , but I am turning myself in today I want you guys to know I love you and appreciate every single one of y’all, a couple months ago I lost my two brothers by violence and now the system want to find justice.. unfortunately a lot of rumors and lies are being said but no worries god is with me and my brother @ynw.bortlen and we want y’all to remember it’s a ynw Family I love you @ynwsakchaser1 and @ynwjuvy #freeus."

XXL has reached out to YNW Melly's team for comment.

See tweets from the Miramar Police Department and Melly's IG post for yourself below.

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