The legal outcome for the suspect behind the senseless death of Atlanta rapper Trouble has been determined. Jamichael Jones pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on March 21, 2025, under a plea deal and was given a 20-year jail sentence. The settlement ends a case that has intrigued the hip-hop community and society as a whole since it occurred on June 5, 2022.
Trouble, whose actual name was Mariel Semonte Orr, was shot to death on June 5, 2022, at Lake St. James Apartments in Rockdale County, Georgia. Trouble was with a female friend when her ex-boyfriend, Jamichael Jones, allegedly broke into her home early that morning.
Jones had lived in the apartment before and had broken up with the woman around a week earlier, according to investigators. Jones assaulted Trouble and the woman physically after he found Trouble in bed with the woman sleeping, before shooting Trouble in the chest and killing him. Trouble was rushed to Rockdale County Piedmont Hospital and died.
The neighbor heard a female shouting for help and called police on 911, and police officers responded to the scene promptly. Police discovered a .40 caliber expended shell casing without a firearm.
Following the incident, Jones was charged with a number of crimes such as felony murder, aggravated assault, home invasion, and battery. A manhunt was initiated, but two days later on June 7, 2022, Jones surrendered to police with his mother. She was credited by Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levette for bringing Jones to turn himself in and described her as
“a huge asset in helping us to apprehend him.”
Prosecutors relied on testimony by key witnesses and surveillance footage that placed Jones in the scene. In expectation of his own jury trial to start in March of 2025, Jones chose to accept a plea agreement to avoid going to trial. He pleaded to voluntary manslaughter, a lesser offense, for a 20-year jail term. The plea deal saved him from receiving a possible life term of imprisonment in case he was convicted of murder.
Mariel Semonte Orr, aka Trouble or “Skoob,” was a major figure in Atlanta rap. He emerged in 2011 and went on to collaborate with major artists like Drake, The Weeknd, and Migos. His raw and authentic storytelling and distinctive style helped form the Southern rap genre.
Trouble put out two albums that were well-received by critics: Edgewood (2018) and Thug Luv (2020). He was admired for his ability to blend street narratives with introspective lyrics and was a well-regarded presence in the business. His passing at age 34 was widely mourned by fans and peers.
Trouble’s death was met with a wave of shock in the hip-hop community. Music executives and influential artists expressed themselves on social media with messages of condolences and outrage regarding violence in rap.
