Flashing blue lights lined the Labelle streets late Monday night as the Jacksonville SWAT, Gang Unit, and U.S. Marshals converged on a quiet apartment complex in search of their targeted suspect, Davion Murphy, the last suspect wanted in the high-profile murder of beloved Jacksonville rapper Charles “Julio Foolio” Jones. Sudden and decisive after six months of manhunt, the raid ended the suspense that had kept the city’s hip-hop community on edge. People spilled into the streets, buzzing with shock and relief.
The 24-year-old Murphy had been on the run since the ambush that killed Foolio back on June 23, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. But finally, the long arm of the law got him, shutting a chapter that had haunted the neighborhoods of Jacksonville for months.
An article by Hypefresh titled “Foolio’s Final Murder Suspect Still at Large After 6 Months” on January 3, 2025, shed light on fun facts why the thugs wanted Murphy. Days later from that date, his capture was a defining moment in this high-profile case and brought some sense of closure to the community of Jacksonville.
June 23, 2024, seemed like the day Julio Foolio would take another step deeper into his scorching rise to fame in the hip-hop music world. But his life was turned upside down outside the doors of the unassuming Home2 Suites hotel at USF in Tampa. Foolio and his crew experienced a preplanned attack, were shot down, and three were injured-the rapper died by three masked gunmen. Surveillance footage showed three gunmen exercising the attack as if to validate the violent gang rivalries Foolio continuously rapped to and lived through.
Polarizing in many respects and closely associated with Jacksonville’s “6 Block,” Foolio had often used his music as a means to convey the pain and chaos of street life. The attack, investigators say, was the result of years of tension between ATK and rival gangs, most notably 1200. His lyrics told the story of a survivor, but that night showed even the tough-talking Foolio wasn’t immune to the unrelenting violence strangling the city.
The murder of Foolio brought law enforcement out in full force. By the close of 2024, authorities had arrested four suspects: Rashad Murphy, brother to Davion; Isaiah Chance; Alicia Andrews; and Sean Gathright. Each was accused of first-degree murder and conspiracy, their movements documented through chilling evidence that included video surveillance and postings on social media sites.
But one suspect remained on the loose until Monday night. Davion Murphy’s arrest signals the culmination of a relentless pursuit by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and its partners.
The arrest brought a bittersweet sense of relief for Sandrikas Mays, Julio Foolio’s mother.
“I always knew this day would come,”
she said, tears streaming down her face, to reporters.
“My baby didn’t deserve this, but I’m grateful justice is being served.”
Fans also took to social media in an array of sadness and satisfaction. “Justice for Foolio” became a Twitter trending topic as the community celebrated the death of an artist many saw as an artist who voiced their struggles. Several called for the cessation of gang violence that has caused too many mothers in Jacksonville to mourn the loss of their sons.
Davion Murphy now faces a litany of charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder, that could land him in prison for life. But his arrest is more than a legal milestone—it’s a moment of reckoning for Jacksonville. With gang violence continuing to claim young lives, the case has reignited calls for community action.
“This isn’t just about Foolio,”
said one local activist.
“This is about breaking the cycle. We can’t keep losing our future to the streets.”
To Jacksonville, the death of Foolio will always be a reminder of how costly violence can be, but it is also a call to find a way forward in honoring his legacy. And as the city awaits Murphy’s trial, one thing is clear: this story is far from over.
