Man convicted in PnB Rock robbery and murder in Los Angeles
Freddie Trone found guilty of murder in PnB Rock robbery case
A California jury has convicted a man for sending his teenage son to rob Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock, who was shot and killed during the encounter at a Los Angeles restaurant. A Los Angeles County jury took less than three hours to find Freddie Trone guilty of murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of second-degree robbery involving the 30-year-old rapper and his girlfriend.
Co-defendant Tremont Jones, 46, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery but was not charged with murder. “Justice has been served for Mr. Allen and his family who have endured unimaginable pain,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. Sentencing for both men is set for Aug. 27.
The case against Trone’s 17-year-old son is in juvenile court, with authorities determining his competence to stand trial. Shauntel Trone, Trone’s wife and the teen’s stepmother, pleaded no contest to accessory after the fact and is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 16.
Man charged with sending son to kill rapper PnB Rock testifies, says ‘I had nothing to do with it’ pic.twitter.com/3An3mt0dIp
— Witty Apparatus (@WittyApparatus) August 5, 2024
PnB Rock was dining at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles in South L.A. on Sept. 13, 2022, when a suspect approached and robbed them at gunpoint.
Prosecutors revealed the motive was to steal about half a million dollars worth of jewellery. Jones allegedly fist-bumped the rapper and then informed Trone about the jewellery the entertainer was wearing.
The rapper, legally named Rakim Allen, was shot multiple times in the back and chest during the robbery, and the suspect fled in a getaway car. Allen’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, is the mother of their two children.
Trone was identified as the getaway driver. The teen shooter was out on parole or probation and was wearing an ankle monitor that was not being tracked at the time of the shooting.
During the trial, Trone stated, “I wasn’t there. I didn’t tell nobody to do nothing.” He testified that his son and vehicle went missing, and he later found his son with three others in the vehicle.
Defense attorney Winston McKesson argued that the teen shooter acted independently of his father, telling jurors, “You have no evidence that my client planned anything,” and suggesting the prosecution aimed to make them “dislike” Trone.
