Young Dolph’s Accused Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison

Justin Johnson, one of the two men arrested, in 2022, and accused of killing Young Dolph, has been found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, the Shelby County district attorney’s office announced in a news release. Johnson was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Young Dolph was shot dead, at the age of 36, on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, in Memphis. During the trial, one of Johnson’s co-defendants, Cornelius Smith, testified that he and Johnson killed Young Dolph. He also said that it was at the behest of Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, the brother of Memphis rapper Yo Gotti, who ordered a $100,000 hit against Dolph. In addition, he claimed that he and Johnson were each supposed to give a man named Hernandez Govan $10,000 for orchestrating the attack.

Smith has pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy charges against him. His case has been reset to November, according to Memphis’ Commercial Appeal. Hernandez Govan has also pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy charges. A fourth co-defendant, Jermarcus Johnson, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of accessory after the fact, acknowledging that he helped Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith communicate after the shooting. Anthony “Big Jooks” Mims, meanwhile, was killed in a January shooting.