Who are the suspects in Young Dolph’s murder? Trial looms as Hernandez Govan declines plea deal

The alleged mastermind in Young Dolph's murder, Hernandez Govan, has rejected a plea deal and is now scheduled to go to trial in two weeks.

As reported by AllHipHop, Govan stands accused of engineering the murder of the Memphis rapper in 2021. In his court appearance on July 28, he pleaded not guilty and is now fighting the charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted first-degree murder.

Young Dolph was shot dead at the age of 36 by two gunmen in masks at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis four years ago. In November 2022, Govan was indicted, though by the following year, he was released on a $90,000 bond. His trial date has now been scheduled for August 18, after being postponed from July 28. As of this writing, the reason for the postponement remains unclear.

Everything we know about the suspects in Young Dolph's murder trial:

XXL Magazine has reported that one of the shooters' names was Justin Johnson, also known as “Straight Drop." He was convicted of the shooting following a trial in September 2024, when he was given a life sentence.

Per the outlet, the second shooter, Cornelius Smith, testified against his co-shooter when he told the jury that they were acting on a contract worth $10,000. Big Jook, Yo Gotti's brother, who was slain in a shooting in January 2024, allegedly commissioned the killing, and Hernandez Govan is accused of orchestrating it for a chunk of the reward.

As reported by Hot New Hip Hop, Smith testified that both of Young Dolph's shooters were promised $40,000 each, though they were ultimately only given $800. He also testified that Yo Gotti’s label, CMG, was covering his legal fees.

Another co-defendant, Jermarcus Johnson, has conceded to helping the gunmen abscond, and his trial is expected to kick off on August 18 as well. As for Smith, he currently remains detained pending sentencing, and is reportedly expected to testify in Govan's trial.

In other news, on what would have been Young Dolph's 40th birthday this Sunday, July 27, his fiancée and mother of two children, Mia Jaye, took to social media to commemorate the occasion. Coupled with some bittersweet photos of the family, she penned:

"Our households’ message to you of gratitude, appreciation, adornment and most importantly LOVE remains the same 6 years later and beyond… We miss your presence daily but cherish the gift of life we shared with you. Happy Heavenly 40th Birthday my love… until we meet again, next lifetime 🙏🏾💙🎉♾️"

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.

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