Rapper Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter

Strategic Insights -

Atlanta rapper Silentó, known for his hit song "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter and other charges in the 2021 shooting death of his 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks III. Silentó, whose legal name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The charges stem from an altercation on January 21, 2021, in DeKalb County, where Rooks was found shot outside a home. Silentó had confessed to the crime 10 days after his arrest and the ballistics testing matched the bullet casings found at the scene to a gun he had in his possession.

Key Takeaways:

  • Silentó pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possessing a gun while committing a crime, and concealing the death of another as part of the plea agreement.
  • The shooting occurred on January 21, 2021, outside a home in a suburban area near Decatur, DeKalb County.
  • Security video showed a white BMW SUV speeding away from the scene shortly after the gunshots, and GPS data and other cameras confirmed that Silentó was behind the wheel.
  • Silentó had previously struggled with depression and had witnessed mental illness and violence in his family.
  • He had attempted to kill himself in 2020 and had been arrested multiple times in the year leading up to the shooting, including a domestic violence charge and a charge of driving at 230 kilometers per hour.
  • Silentó's publicist stated that he had been "suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses" at the time of his arrest.
  • Rooks' brothers and sisters testified before sentencing that Silentó should have received a longer sentence.

Statistics:

  • Silentó was sentenced to 30 years in prison as part of the plea agreement.
  • The shooting occurred on January 21, 2021.
  • 10 bullet casings were found near Rooks' body at the scene of the shooting.
  • Silentó had been arrested multiple times in the year leading up to the shooting, including a domestic violence charge and a charge of driving at 230 kilometers per hour.
  • Silentó had attempted to kill himself in 2020.

Sources:

  • AP (n.d.). Silentó, Atlanta rapper known for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," sentenced to 30 years for killing cousin.
  • AP (n.d.). Silentó, Atlanta rapper, pleads guilty but mentally ill in cousin's slaying.
  • AP (n.d.). Silentó's struggles with mental health led to repeated run-ins with law.