TAMPA, Fla. — Three people accused of killing rapper Julio Foolio pleaded not guilty Monday in a Hillsborough County courtroom.
Isaiah Chance, 21, Sean Gathright, 18, and Alicia Andrews, 21, entered their pleas as they appeared in court for an arrangement hearing. They all face murder charges in the June death of Foolio, whose legal name is Charles Jones.
Two other men are also facing charges in Foolio's murder. Rashad Murphy was arrested in Jacksonville but is not currently being held in a Hillsborough County jail. Davion Murphy is still wanted.
Foolio was in the Tampa area for his birthday at an Airbnb on June 23, according to his lawyer. However, he was asked to leave because there were too many people at the home. He went to a Holiday Inn near the University of South Florida where he was reportedly ambushed. The 26-year-old rapper died from his injuries, and police said a total of four people were hit by gunfire.
Video surveillance footage of the early-morning shooting shows five people dressed all in black carrying guns around the hotel, waiting for Jones. They start shooting at the car where Jones is in the passenger seat and keep shooting as the car tries to drive away.
"It looks like a movie," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said during a July news conference. "But this isn't a movie. These are people's real lives."
During that news conference, Bercaw confirmed the five suspects were part of rival gangs and Jones' murder was in retaliation to an ongoing feud.
"The feud stops here," State Attorney Suzy Lopez said at the conference. Only three people pulled the trigger but five are charged with murder and they will all face life in prison, she said.
Lopez called their plan to kill Jones "truly alarming."
Isaiah Chance and Alicia Andrews are each facing two counts of premeditated first-degree murder.
Sean Gathright is charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder, attempted premeditated first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.