YNW Melly remains behind bars after being denied bail following his Feb. 13 arrest by the Miramar Police Department on double murder charges for fatally shooting two of his “best friends” and fellow YNW crew members, Christopher “Juvy” Thomas Jr and Anthony “Sak” Williams. According to court documents obtained by Billboard on Wednesday (Feb. 27), police are alleging that Melly and his accomplice, Cortlen Henry, attempted to stage the Oct. 26 killings as a drive-by shooting.
Investigators have concluded that they believe shots rang off from inside the Jeep Compass that Cortlen drove both Sak and Juvy to the hospital in, rather than bullets coming from the outside, which Cortlen originally told authorities. “Evidence from the autopsy revealed that both victims’ wound paths to their heads were from a left to right direction,” the docs reportedly read. “This directly contradicts the statements made by Henry and do not support the statements of a drive-by shooting that occurred on the right side of the vehicle.”
Cops also say that a single “.40 caliber shell casing was found inside of the vehicle on the floorboard of the left rear passenger side” — which would indict Melly, born Jamell Demons, as the gunman. Law enforcement unearthed footage from the night of the murders (Oct. 26) that found the “Murder on My Mind” rapper entering the left rear passenger side of the Jeep Compass when leaving a studio session with Juvy, Sak and Cortlen.
The docs also find police statements affirming that Melly and Bortlen had driven around with the bodies “for a period of time” trying to come up with a plan to deceive law enforcement, before bringing Sak and Juvy to the emergency room of Miramar Memorial Hospital at 4:35 a.m. ET, where they were pronounced dead upon examination, says the Sun-Sentinel.
Prosecutors unveiled a recent Snapchat conversation Melly had with one of his multiple girlfriends, where police believe he was hinting at the murders when explaining why Cortlen would need to always be kept around. “Dis n—a saved my life he coming everywhere wit me cuz of dem crackers come grab him it’s my fault u forgot,” Melly said. “keep Bortlen wit me kuz at da end of the day he did one of a realist shit in my life.”
Melly and Cortlen will remain in Broward County Jail for the foreseeable future until their cases are brought to trial. Before the death of Sak and Juvy in October, Melly got both of their names actually tattooed on his face.
The 19-year-old has also been linked to the shooting of Vero Beach deputy Gary Chambliss in 2017 by law enforcement. Since the “Mixed Personalities” artist was arrested, his “Murder on My Mind” track has skyrocketed to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Melly’s attorney has “no comment” at this time.