TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The four men convicted in the 2024 ambush killing of Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio were sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing one of the Tampa Bay area’s highest-profile murder cases to a close.
A Hillsborough County jury rejected the death penalty during the penalty phase last month, leaving the judge with only one sentencing option under Florida law.
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Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, Davion Murphy and Rashad Murphy were each sentenced to life without parole for the first-degree murder of Charles Jones, known professionally as Julio Foolio.
Jones was celebrating his 26 birthday when prosecutors said he was ambushed and shot outside a Tampa Holiday Inn in June 2024. Three other people were wounded in the shooting.
Before the mandatory sentences were handed down, several of the men addressed the court, using their final opportunity to speak to reflect on the choices that led them there and to warn other young people not to follow the same path.
Isaiah Chance told the courtroom gang violence and retaliation “ain’t worth it,” describing the isolation of prison and urging young men to make different decisions.
Sean Gathright reflected on his own upbringing, saying he grew up with “a loving family, nice home, multiple opportunities, and promising potential,” adding that people often assume someone with his background could never end up in his position.
Judge Michelle Sisco acknowledged the men’s messages but said the consequences of their actions could not be undone.
“You either end up dead or incarcerated for life,” Sisco said before sentencing.
She later told the men they still had value and could contribute to society, but reminded them that Charles Jones is dead and four others will now spend the rest of their lives in prison.
The life sentences were mandatory under Florida law following the jury’s first-degree murder convictions.
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