*The death of artist Javonnta Murphy, who was discovered dead last week on a beach in California, is possibly linked to the 2020 murder of Pop Smoke.
Lifeguards retrieved the naked body of the 32-year-old LA rapper known as Sirtank from inside a barrel along Malibu beach. The container may have been swept into Malibu lagoon from the ocean by the high tide, according to homicide detectives investigating his death, Daily Mail reports. According to Hot New Hip Hop, police are reportedly investigating whether Murphy’s death is retaliation for Pop’s murder.
According to TMZ, Murphy is the elder brother of Jaquan Murphy, who was arrested in connection with Pop Smoke’s 2020 murder.
The hip-hop star, born Bashar Jackson, was killed on Feb. 19, 2020, during a home invasion robbery at a rented Airbnb where he was staying at the time. Jaquan was ultimately cleared of all charges related to the slaying and was released from police custody.
“L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s investigators are currently looking into the possibility Javonnta’s murder was a retaliation killing for Pop’s murder,” TMZ writes. “Of course, it’s not their only theory, but definitely one they’re digging into.”
Murphy’s father, Javonnie Murphy, told NBC Los Angeles that he last saw his son at a park on July 27, days before his body was discovered.
“I’m a strong Black man, but this, this is hurtful. I just want to know why. He didn’t deserve it,” Javonnie Murphy said.
“They were trying to get rid of him. They put him in a thing like that and threw him in the ocean. They were trying to get rid of him,” the grieving father stated.
“It just broke the whole family down,” Javonnie Murphy said about his son’s death. “We are all hurting right now. We’re all hurting, and we want justice… The only thing I can say is you have got to answer to the man upstairs. You have got to answer to Him upstairs.”
READ MORE: Pop Smoke’s Killer Only Wanted Rapper Hit With A Vase Instead of Him Being Shot
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