TAMPA, Fla. (Court TV) — Four men who were spared a death sentence took the opportunity to address young people in their community at their sentencing.
Sean Gathright speaks at his sentencing on June 22, 2026. (Court TV)
Isaiah Chance, 23, Sean Gathright, 20, Rashad Murphy, 32, and Davion Murphy, 29, were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Charles Jones, a rising rapper known as “Julio Foolio.” Gathright and both Murphy brothers were also convicted of three counts of attempted murder each. After a weekslong trial, the same jury that found the men guilty spared their lives and found they should not be put to death.
Prosecutors said that Jones’ death on June 23, 2024, was the result of an ongoing gang war in Jacksonville, Florida. Jones had traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa to celebrate his 26th birthday and perform. Investigators said that the men, knowing this, traveled together to track the victim and then murder him. Surveillance video from a hotel shows three masked men with guns firing at vehicles; Jones was killed and three other people were injured.
“Everyone wonders how and why I ended up in a situation like this, despite growing up with a loving family, nice home, multiple opportunities and promising potential. Some act as if it’s impossible or unheard of for someone like me to find themselves in a situation like this, but in reality, it is much more common than we think,” Gathright said as he addressed the court at Monday’s sentencing hearing. “Your Honor, it is heartbreaking that an 18-year-old can’t rent a car, or a hotel, or buy a home, but can be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. They can’t purchase alcohol or tobacco, but can be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. They can’t work certain jobs or even go on a cruise without a chaperone, but they can be sentenced to death or life without the possibility of parole. And I’m a prime example of these circumstances. At 18 years old, with no prior convictions, I was charged, indicted and had to face the death penalty.”
Davion Murphy (L) and Isaiah Chance (R) appear at their sentencing on June 22, 2026. (Court TV)
Each of the four defendants took time to address the Court during sentencing; most took the opportunity to send a message to other young men in their community. “It ain’t worth it. Like, me being a rapper from my city and Julio being a rapper from our city, it ain’t worth it,” Chance said. “The dissing, the beefing, the shooting, like, for what? Like, for what? Like, when you’re sitting in your cell alone, cold, lonely as hell…everybody leave you. Like, nobody here for you. Like the ones that’s ride or die, your girlfriends, whoever you love, the only person there for you is your mother and maybe like one friend, maybe, but it ain’t worth it though, bro.”
Davion Murphy said he maintained his innocence, but had a message for “the Gen Z generation: change your life and do something productive with your life because in this predicament, it ain’t worth it.” His brother, Rashad Murphy, said simply, “I love everybody.”
“This is by far the longest case, the most intricate case, the most difficult case that I’ve ever handled in almost 24 years,” Judge Michelle Sisco said. “Mr. Jones did not deserve to die for what he did, or the drill rap videos he made, but goodness gracious, going and degrading the grave site of a murdered relative is, you don’t deserve to get killed for that, but you just increased your odds that it was going to happen.”
Rashad Murphy appears at his sentencing on June 22, 2026. (Court TV)
Sisco sentenced each defendant to life without the possibility of parole for their first-degree murder conviction. Chance, Davion and Rashad Murphy were each sentenced to an additional life sentence for conspiracy to commit murder; Davion and Rashad Murphy then each got three more life sentences for each count of attempted murder. Gathright was sentenced to 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder and 30 years for each of the three counts of attempted murder. All the sentences will be served consecutively.
“Each of you still has a life of value, and going forward, the quality of the life that you have every day will come down to the choices you make,” Sisco said. “I hope that, at least in the community in Jacksonville, there are serious changes.”
Chance’s girlfriend, Alicia Andrews, was tried separately on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy; she was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
