Dallas rapper Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway, has been found guilty of capital murder in connection with the shooting death of rival artist Mo3, legally known as Melvin Noble. Under Texas law, this conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Conway was accused of orchestrating the killing of Noble in November 2020. Kewon White, identified as the gunman in the case, was convicted the previous month and similarly sentenced to life in prison. Conway pleaded not guilty to allegations that he offered White and another individual, Devin Brown, $40,000 to carry out the fatal shooting. Brown is also scheduled to stand trial in the near future.
The trial extended over two weeks before the jury delivered its verdict. During proceedings, witnesses provided detailed accounts of the ambush on Mo3. Notably, the second day of the trial featured emotionally charged testimony from a physician who witnessed the shooting on Interstate 35 and placed himself at personal risk in an effort to assist the victim.
The jury additionally heard testimony from rapper Jose Bodega, whose legal name is Theodore Thomas. In prior grand jury testimony, Thomas had described an ongoing feud between Conway and Noble; however, at trial, he recanted those statements, claiming they were fabricated. As a result, the presiding judge permitted prosecutors to treat Thomas as a hostile witness.
Conway has now entered the punishment phase of the trial.
In 2021, Conway , who had previously performed as an opening act for Jay-Z and Beyoncé , was arrested in Collin County on three charges, including sexual assault, abandonment of an endangered child, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Those charges were subsequently dismissed. In 2018, Conway sustained multiple gunshot wounds while inside a vehicle on the Sam Rayburn Tollway in Lewisville.
