Kewon White has been found guilty of capital murder in the 2020 killing of Dallas rapper MO3, whose real name was Melvin Noble. A Dallas County judge sentenced White to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A Dallas County jury found White guilty Friday after deliberating for about three hours in the case surrounding Noble’s death on an Interstate 35E highway in Dallas.
Prosecutors alleged that White was hired to kill MO3 as part of a murder-for-hire plot involving fellow Dallas rapper Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway.
White’s conviction resolves his part of the case, but the broader investigation and prosecution involving Conway and another defendant are still pending.
Kewon White found guilty in MO3 murder
The jury convicted White of capital murder in connection with the November 2020 killing of MO3.
According to prosecutors, White chased Noble on a Dallas highway before shooting him.
Noble was killed on Nov. 11, 2020. He was 28 years old.
MO3 was best known for his 2018 hit song “Errybody” and had built a following in Dallas and beyond before his death.
White did not testify in his own defense during the trial.
Following the guilty verdict, Judge Chika Anyiam sentenced him to life in prison without parole.
What happened to MO3?
MO3, born Melvin Noble, was killed in an attack on Interstate 35E in Dallas in 2020.
Authorities said Noble was traveling on the highway when he was pursued and fatally shot.
The killing shocked Dallas’ hip-hop community and prompted a lengthy investigation into who was responsible and whether the shooting was connected to a dispute involving other rappers.
The case eventually led investigators to White and, later, to allegations involving Yella Beezy.
Was Yella Beezy involved in MO3’s murder?
Prosecutors alleged that Yella Beezy hired White to carry out the killing.
Conway, whose stage name is Yella Beezy, was charged with capital murder in March 2025 in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot involving MO3.
According to court documents cited by CBS Texas, prosecutors allege that Conway arranged for White to kill Noble in exchange for payment.
Conway has pleaded not guilty and denied involvement in the killing.
His case has not been decided by a jury.
The allegations against Conway therefore remain allegations unless and until they are proven in court.
What did the defense argue?
White’s defense challenged the prosecution’s case during closing arguments.
Defense attorney Bree West argued that the state had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that White was paid by Yella Beezy to kill MO3.
The defense acknowledged that Noble’s death was a murder but argued that prosecutors had not established the capital-murder case against White to the required legal standard.
Jurors ultimately rejected that argument and returned a guilty verdict.
How long did the jury deliberate?
The jury deliberated for just under three hours before reaching its verdict.
Both sides had rested their cases and delivered closing arguments before jurors began deliberations Friday.
Prosecutors told jurors that the evidence showed White killed Noble after being paid or promised payment by Conway.
The defense maintained that the state had failed to establish the alleged murder-for-hire connection beyond a reasonable doubt.
The jury ultimately found White guilty of capital murder.
What did MO3’s mother say after the verdict?
MO3’s mother was present in court when the verdict was delivered.
After White was found guilty, she embraced prosecutor Tommy Adams.
She later spoke directly to White following his sentencing and reflected on the loss of her son and the effect it has had on his children.
The courtroom reaction underscored the continuing impact of Noble’s death nearly six years after the killing.
Who is Yella Beezy?
Yella Beezy is the stage name of Markies Conway, a Dallas rapper who previously opened for major artists including Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
Conway was charged in March 2025 in connection with the alleged plot to kill MO3.
His case is separate from White’s conviction.
Conway had also faced criminal charges in Collin County in 2021 involving allegations of sexual assault, abandoning or endangering a child and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Those charges were later dismissed.
In 2018, Conway survived being shot multiple times inside a vehicle on the Sam Rayburn Tollway in Lewisville.
Who is Devin Brown?
White and Conway are not the only people facing capital-murder charges connected to Noble’s death.
A third defendant, Devin Brown, has also been charged with capital murder in the case.
According to FOX 4’s trial coverage, proceedings involving Conway and Brown are expected to follow White’s trial.
White’s conviction therefore represents an important development in a case that still has unresolved proceedings involving other defendants.
What happens next in the MO3 murder case?
White has now been sentenced to life in prison without parole, meaning he will not be eligible for release on parole.
The focus will now shift to the remaining cases involving Conway and Brown.
Conway’s alleged role in the killing has not been established in court, and his not-guilty plea means the allegations against him remain unresolved.
The prosecution of the remaining defendants could provide additional testimony and evidence about the circumstances surrounding MO3’s death.
For now, White is the first defendant in the case to receive a conviction following a jury trial.
MO3 murder case explained
The 2020 killing of MO3 began as an investigation into the fatal shooting of a rising Dallas rapper.
Years later, prosecutors alleged that the killing was not simply a confrontation between individuals but part of a murder-for-hire scheme.
White was accused of carrying out the shooting, while prosecutors alleged that Conway arranged and financed the killing.
A Dallas County jury has now found White guilty of capital murder and he has received a sentence of life without parole.
The cases against Conway and Brown remain separate and unresolved.
The verdict marks a major development in the long-running investigation into who was responsible for MO3’s death, but it does not end the broader legal proceedings surrounding the case.
