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DALLAS - The trial for Yella Beezy, who is accused of orchestrating a murder for hire plot that killed Dallas rapper MO3, enters its third week with more testimony from the lead detective on the case.
Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Conway, is accused of paying another man to gun down MO3, whose real name is Melvin Noble, in an ambush on Interstate 35 in Dallas in 2020.
Prosecutors allege Conway hired Kewon White to carry out the murder over a long-running feud.
Conway has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and denied involvement.
White has already been convicted of capital murder for Noble’s death.
A third defendant, Devin Brown, is also charged with capital murder.
Conway's trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Live Updates
9 a.m. Trial resumes
FOX 4 will have live coverage of the trial each day after testimony begins around 9 a.m.
Friday's Recap
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Yella Beezy trial | Dallas News Live
Casey Stegall speaks with an attorney about the ongoing testimony in the murder trial against rapper Yella Beezy.
Dallas Police Det. Eric Barnes took the stand to detail the alleged murder-for-hire plot against Melvin Noble (MO3). Barnes identified Markies Conway (Yella Beezy) and Devarius Moore as financiers, Jerry Johnson as the coordinator, Devin Brown as the spotter, and Kewon White as the shooter. The state presented a timeline tracking cell site data, surveillance footage, and meetups on Nov. 22, 2020, asserting White received front-end cash payouts. Judge Chika Anyiam ruled that prosecutors could not play a jailhouse call where White claimed he was "paid 20 bands," finding it unfairly prejudicial hearsay, though she permitted a redacted text from Conway stating he had people who "do the shootings."
On cross-examination, defense attorney Toby Shook aggressively tried to dismantle the state’s theories. Shook revealed Conway's cell phone pinged 40 miles away in Frisco—never near the South Dallas barbershop where informant Theodore Thomas claimed a key conversation occurred. Shook also highlighted that Thomas and informant Cedric Bradley only cooperated after facing heavy federal prison time.
Regarding financial evidence, Shook challenged the state's claim that Conway's $40,000 bank withdrawal funded the hit, proving large cash withdrawals were standard for Conway and showing a Nov. 23, 2020 video of Conway dealing out crisp $100 bills in Dallas. Furthermore, White possessed identical, small-denomination cash bundles before any alleged meetup with Conway.
Shook presented an alternative motive centering on Brown, showing evidence of Brown’s feud with MO3 over his children and jewelry, alongside 2020 videos proving Brown possessed large sums of cash to finance an attack independently. Before dismissing the jury for the weekend, Judge Anyiam sustained the state's objection to exclude audio containing statements from Brown as hearsay.
MO3 Murder
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VIDEO: Rapper Mo3 chased down by hitman on I-35
Prosecutors released video of rapper Mo3 being shot at and chased down by a hitman on I-35 in Dallas. The video was shown during a bond hearing for fellow rapper Yella Beezy who allegedly hired the hitman Kewon Dontrell White.
MO3 was shot 11 times and killed on I-35 back in 2020. Prosecutors allege the shooting was part of a murder-for-hire plot organized by rapper Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway. They claim he paid Kewon White to carry out the murder over a long-running feud.
In September, jurors found White guilty of capital murder and sentenced him to life in prison after viewing video and hearing testimony about the shooting. Prosecutors also presented evidence of an alleged payment from Conway to White.
Conway has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and denied involvement. His trial was delayed by a month so that his lawyers could get a copy of White’s trial transcript.
A third defendant, Devin Brown, is also charged with capital murder.
Continued Coverage
- Day 9: Yella Beezy murder trial's 2nd week wraps with defense cross-examining lead detective
- Day 8: Jurors in Yella Beezy murder trial watch rap videos, hear testimony from lead detective
- Day 7: Key witness, lead detective take the stand in Yella Beezy's murder-for-hire trial
- Day 6: Jurors in Yella Beezy's capital murder trial hear testimony on cellphone locations
- Day 5: Yella Beezy murder trial key witness Theodore Thomas claims he lied in grand jury testimony
- Day 4: Yella Beezy murder trial key witness doesn't testify, ordered to return on Wednesday
- Day 3: Yella Beezy murder trial continues on Day 3 with testimony from informant Jose Bodega
- Day 2: Yella Beezy murder trial testimony on Day 2 focuses on crime scene evidence, surveillance photos
- Day 1: Yella Beezy on trial for Dallas rapper MO3's murder
- Jury seated in Dallas rapper Yella Beezy’s capital murder trial
- Kewon White’s lawyers seeking a new trial over sleepy juror
- Kewon White files appeal in MO3 murder conviction
- Kewon White found guilty, sentenced to life in prison for MO3's murder