A Dallas County jury found rapper Yella Beezy guilty of capital murder on Wednesday for his role in the 2020 killing of rival artist MO3.
The conviction, delivered on the sixth anniversary of the shooting, carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Murder-for-Hire Plot
Prosecutors established that Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway, orchestrated the ambush of MO3—born Melvin Noble—on Interstate 35 in Dallas. Investigators alleged that Conway paid $40,000 to a gunman, Kewon White, to execute the attack. White, who was previously convicted of capital murder in September, fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol while chasing Noble through highway traffic.
Noble, 28, was driving in south Dallas around noon on November 11, 2020, when White pulled his vehicle alongside Noble’s vehicle, exited his car, and opened fire. Noble attempted to flee the scene on foot but was shot 11 times. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
During the trial, the state presented evidence that the killing was the violent result of an escalating, years-long feud between the two Dallas rappers.
In closing arguments, prosecutors showed jurors a video clip of Conway discussing revenge in an interview, where he said he would “get his lick back.” Prosecutor Krystal Biggins told jurors, “This was for the world to see. Over a rap beef, we are here for capital murder.”
Bystanders Provide Testimony Regarding the Highway Shooting
The trial featured emotional accounts from bystanders caught in the crossfire. Dr. Randall Graham, a local neurosurgeon who was commuting on I-35 during the attack, testified that he witnessed Noble running from his vehicle before being gunned down in the middle of the highway.
A bystander who was inside a separate car was also struck by gunfire during the incident but survived. Dallas Police crime scene investigators later recovered bullet fragments from the rear floorboard of an Audi.
The prosecution’s case included testimony from rapper Jose Bodega, born Theodore Thomas, who initially told a grand jury about the feud between Conway and Noble. At trial, Thomas claimed he had fabricated those details, prompting the judge to allow prosecutors to treat him as a hostile witness. Cedric Bradley, a childhood friend of Conway, testified as part of a proffer agreement, telling the jury that Kewon White had confessed to the shooting and expressed anger that he had not been paid the promised amount.
While the defense argued the state’s case was built on speculation, lead defense attorney Toby Shook confirmed that the legal team intends to appeal the verdict. “We’re going to keep fighting,” Shook said. “We have excellent appellate points, and that’s the next step in the fight.”
Life in Prison
Following his sentencing, Conway was remanded to a Texas state jail to begin his life term. In-person visitation is limited to two hours once per week, with physical contact restricted to kissing and hand-holding while seated on opposite sides of a table. He will be assigned to a bunk in a cell or dormitory and must keep his personal property in a small box.
A third defendant, Devin Brown, is also charged with capital murder and is scheduled to face trial. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said that the verdict brings a measure of peace to Noble’s family, noting, “This case sends a clear message that those who plan, finance and orchestrate violence will be held accountable, just as those who carry it out.”
