YNW Melly will have to wait even longer for the double murder case against him to be resolved. The rapper, who has been in jail in Florida since early 2019, has had his retrial delayed until early 2027, thanks to a decision by the state’s 4th District Court of Appeals.
The court decided during a hearing on Friday (Aug. 8) that the “Murder on My Mind” rapper’s trial would not begin next month, as previously planned. Instead, there will be a delay until January as the appeals court considers a motion by the state attorney’s office relating to what kind of evidence will be allowed in the courtroom.
Melly’s case originally ended in a mistrial back in 2023. The state’s second shot has been held up by issues surrounding a reported investigation of one of Melly’s attorneys, as well as issues with evidence that caused the delay on Friday.
Melly is accused, along with his crew member YNW Bortlen, of killing Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams. Thomas and Williams were killed in October 2018. Bortlen drove the two crew members to a hospital in Miramar, Florida, claiming they were victims of a drive-by shooting.
Within months, Melly and Bortlen had become suspects, and Melly turned himself in the following February. He has been in jail since. In addition to the criminal charges in the case, he faces civil suits from Sakchaser and Juvy’s families.
You can get the full story of Melly’s rise in the rap game, and of the murder case against him, in Complex’s podcast Infamous: The Story of YNW Melly, hosted by Ace Hood.
