Davion Murphy, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2024 murder of Julio Foolio, previously warned Gen Z to avoid street violence.
Davion Murphy, one of four men charged with murdering Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio in June 2024, made a surprise statement in court during Monday’s sentencing, offering a stark warning to young people about the consequences of street violence.
Murphy changed his mind at the last minute and asked to address the court before accepting a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Standing at the podium, he first delivered a spiritual message to the judge: “First of all, I want to say to God, may the glory be with you, and in our case He will have the final say.”
Despite the jury’s guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge, the 29-year-old maintains his innocence.
“As I said in my trial interview, I will be tried for this and I will always maintain my innocence,” Murphy said.
But Murphy’s most compelling moment came when he addressed Gen Z directly.
“I just want to say to Gen Z, change your life and do something productive, because in this situation, it’s not worth it,” he said.
He acknowledged the seriousness of his situation and noted that while it appears he will spend the rest of his life in prison, he plans to maintain a positive outlook.
“This is not my first rodeo on this road…it may seem like forever, but I will always stay positive and stay positive and may the glory always be to God,” Murphy concluded.
Murphy was one of four men who ambushed Forio, whose real name was Charles Jones.
The 26-year-old rapper was shot to death on June 23, 2024, while celebrating his birthday outside the Holiday Inn Hotel in Tampa. Prosecutors said the attack involved 31 rounds being fired at the vehicle and three other people were injured.
Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright and Rashad Murphy were also found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A fifth defendant, Alicia Andrews, was convicted of manslaughter for her role in the ambush and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
