A California father has been convicted of the 2022 murder of rapper PnB Rock, following instructions he gave his then-17-year-old son to rob and kill the artist while he was having lunch with his girlfriend. PnB Rock, whose real name was Rakim Allen, was 30 at the time of his death.
After a two-week trial and four hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles County jury found Freddie Trone, 42, guilty of one count of murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and the Associated Press.
Prosecutors argued that Trone sent his teenage son to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles to carry out the crime and then acted as an accomplice. Trone’s son has not been publicly identified because of his age at the time of the killing.
Surveillance footage showed Trone in the parking lot a half-hour before Allen was killed. Tremont Jones, who was also present and seen fist-bumping Allen, allegedly informed Trone of the rapper’s presence and the expensive jewelry he was wearing. Jones was found guilty of two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy for his role in Allen’s death. His attorney, David Haas, said he would appeal the conviction.
During her testimony, Trone admitted to being in the parking lot looking for clients for her nearby beauty salon, but denied any involvement in the killing. She described the murder as “heinous” and referred to her son as “dangerous.”
Trone’s son, now 19, has been charged with murder but remains in a juvenile detention center. A judge has ruled he is not competent to stand trial. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said a juvenile will undergo “mental competency proceedings” on Aug. 28, police said. Associated Press.
On September 12, 2022, Allen was having lunch with his girlfriend Stephanie Sibounheuang, with whom he shares a now 4-year-old daughter, when an individual approached them and demanded Allen’s jewelry before shooting him multiple times and stealing some of his belongings.
Freddie Trone, his wife Shauntel Trone, and their son were charged about two weeks after fleeing to Las Vegas. Shauntel Trone’s role in the robbery and murder remains unclear, but she pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact in July and will be sentenced on January 16, 2025. Freddie Trone and Tremont Jones are scheduled to be sentenced on August 27.
“Justice was served today for Mr. Allen and his family, who suffered unimaginable pain in losing a loved one to such senseless violence,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. “We send our deepest condolences to them and the entire community. Thank you to my office’s Community Violence Reduction Division for their unwavering commitment to seeking justice for Mr. Allen and holding Mr. Trone and Mr. Jones accountable for their actions. Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our community: our office will relentlessly pursue charges and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”
