Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been found guilty of capital murder in the 2020 killing of fellow rapper Melvin Noble, widely known as MO3. A Dallas County jury delivered its unanimous verdict on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, exactly six years after Noble was fatally shot on an interstate in Dallas.
Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors accused Conway of arranging a murder-for-hire plot and paying a gunman to kill Noble following a yearslong dispute between the two artists.
The verdict brings a major development in a case that has attracted attention across the hip-hop community and North Texas. It also follows the earlier conviction of the man identified as the shooter. However, another defendant charged in connection with the alleged plot is still awaiting trial.
According to reporting by The Associated Press and CBS Texas, prosecutors alleged that Conway paid $40,000 to arrange Noble’s killing. Conway pleaded not guilty, while his defense team argued that prosecutors had not presented sufficient proof to establish his involvement.
Who Is Yella Beezy, and What Was His Role in the Case?
Yella Beezy, 35, is a Dallas-based rapper whose legal name is Markies Conway. He became widely known through songs including the 2017 hit “That’s On Me” and the 2019 track “Bacc At It Again,” featuring Quavo and Gucci Mane.
His music career brought him recognition beyond Texas, but his name became central to a major criminal investigation after MO3 was killed in November 2020.
Prosecutors argued that Conway arranged the killing by hiring Kewon White, who was accused of carrying out the shooting. The state described the alleged motive as a long-running feud between Conway and Noble.
The prosecution’s case focused on the alleged payment, the relationship between the two rappers, witness testimony and statements that prosecutors said supported their theory of revenge.
Conway denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. His attorneys challenged the prosecution’s interpretation of the evidence, arguing that the state relied on speculation rather than establishing his guilt.
The jury ultimately found him guilty of capital murder. Under Texas law, the conviction resulted in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Who Was MO3? Remembering Dallas Rapper Melvin Noble
MO3, whose real name was Melvin Noble, was a Dallas rapper who built a following through his music and online presence. He was 28 when he was killed on November 11, 2020.
Noble had more than 800,000 Instagram followers and was best known for his 2019 remix of “Errybody,” which featured Baton Rouge rapper Boosie Badazz.
His music helped establish him as a recognizable name in the Texas rap scene. His death on a busy Dallas freeway shocked fans and drew attention to the violence surrounding the case.
Authorities said Noble was driving on Interstate 35 in south Dallas around noon when the gunman approached his vehicle. According to the account presented in court, the attacker got out of his vehicle and fired at Noble.
Noble left his vehicle and attempted to escape on foot as the gunman continued shooting. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The shooting also injured a bystander who was inside another vehicle. Police said that person survived.
The case later developed into a murder-for-hire prosecution involving multiple defendants.
Kewon White: The Gunman Convicted in MO3’s Killing
Kewon White was identified as the gunman who fatally shot MO3. His case was decided before the jury reached its verdict against Conway.
In September 2026, a jury found White guilty of capital murder for Noble’s death. He was also sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors said White carried out the shooting after being hired by Conway. They alleged that White received $40,000 for the killing.
During the trial, prosecutors described a violent attack on Interstate 35. Lead prosecutor Tommy Adams told jurors that White wore a mask and fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol while chasing Noble.
The shooting happened in daylight on a busy road, making the incident particularly disturbing for witnesses and other motorists.
White’s conviction established his criminal responsibility for the fatal shooting. Conway’s trial addressed a separate question: whether he had arranged and paid for the killing.
Devin Brown: The Third Defendant Still Awaiting Trial
Devin Brown is another man charged with capital murder in connection with the case. Unlike Conway and White, Brown had not yet gone to trial as of the November 11 verdict.
Prosecutors alleged that Conway offered money to White and Brown to carry out the killing. The reported $40,000 payment was a central part of the prosecution’s murder-for-hire theory.
Brown’s pending case means the legal proceedings connected to MO3’s death may continue beyond the convictions already secured.
His guilt or innocence has not been established in a trial, and the charges against him remain allegations unless and until decided by a court.
What Evidence Did Prosecutors Present During the Yella Beezy Trial?
The trial examined the relationship between Conway and Noble, the circumstances of the shooting and evidence prosecutors said connected Conway to the alleged plan.
One important part of the prosecution’s argument involved the alleged payment to White. Prosecutors said Conway paid $40,000 to have Noble killed.
The state also presented the alleged feud as a possible motive. Prosecutors argued that tensions between the two rappers had grown over several years before the fatal attack.
During closing arguments, prosecutors showed jurors a video clip of Conway discussing revenge in an interview. In the clip, he used the phrase “get his lick back.” Prosecutors argued that the statement helped explain the motive they believed led to the killing.
They also compared the attack on Noble with a 2018 shooting involving Conway.
In October 2018, Conway survived after someone opened fire on his vehicle while he was driving on a tollway in Lewisville, a Dallas-area suburb. He was hit three times.
Prosecutor Krystal Biggins drew a comparison between that earlier roadway shooting and Noble’s killing during closing arguments. The prosecution argued that the circumstances supported its theory of retaliation.
However, the defense disputed the state’s interpretation. Defense attorney John Gussio told jurors that prosecutors had brought them speculation rather than sufficient evidence to prove the charge.
The defense maintained that the state had failed to establish Conway’s role in the crime. Conway pleaded not guilty throughout the proceedings.
The jury ultimately sided with prosecutors and returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
Rapper Jose Bodega’s Testimony Drew Attention
Another notable moment during the trial involved Theodore Thomas, who performs under the name Jose Bodega.
Thomas testified about his knowledge of Conway and the alleged dispute involving Noble. Prosecutors questioned him about earlier statements in which he had described a feud between the two rappers.
During his trial testimony, Thomas said he had made up the earlier account. Prosecutors challenged that statement by referring to his previous grand jury testimony, and the judge allowed them to treat him as a hostile witness.
His testimony became one of the closely watched parts of the proceedings because it raised questions about the alleged feud and the consistency of statements made during the investigation.
The testimony also illustrated the challenges prosecutors faced in presenting their account of the relationships among the people connected to the case.
What Happened on November 11, 2020?
MO3 was killed on November 11, 2020, after a shooting on Interstate 35E in Dallas. The attack