The men convicted of Foolio’s murder spoke in court yesterday before they were each sentenced to life in prison.
On Monday (June 22), Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, Davion Murphy and Rashad Murphy were each sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the June 2024 killing of Foolio. But before their fate was announced, three of the four spoke, sharing information with the judge and the community.
Gasthreiter also spoke out after both his mother and grandmother begged the family to give him a second chance, arguing that his privileged upbringing was not good for him and that it was unfair to be judged for his actions before his brain was fully developed.
“When scholars and historians look back on our time, I believe they will label us an age of discontent,” he said. “And those of us who come from privileged backgrounds are actually at a disadvantage in the fight against it because we grew up with high expectations and opportunities and choices. We don’t know what the struggle looks like or how hard our parents had to work to provide us with those opportunities. We don’t know what we have until it’s gone. And that often happens after we’ve experienced our own eye-opening experience.
Gathright added: “A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health provides evidence that the male brain does not fully mature until age 26 to 27, [which is] About eight or nine years older than I was when I attacked. But society knows this. That’s why laws set age requirements for certain activities, amenities and substances as a way to protect teenagers. However, these laws do not apply to juveniles accused of crimes and allow them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent regardless of their age. “
Isaiah Chance spoke next, first questioning why his ex-girlfriend Alicia Andrews was sentenced to 15 years in prison for helping find Foolio, while he was facing life in prison for the same role they played. He then had a message for the community, adding, “It’s not worth it. What’s the point of scorning, complaining, shooting? When you’re sitting alone in a cell, cold, lonely, and everyone has left you, the only people there are your mother and maybe your friends.”
Davion Murphy ended it all, delivering a brief message to his generation after maintaining his innocence.
“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.
Rashad Murphy chose not to speak.
In May, the four men were convicted of murdering Foolio, who was ambushed and shot to death in a Tampa hotel parking lot in the summer of 2024. The fifth person charged in the case, the aforementioned Alicia Andrews, was convicted of manslaughter in 2025. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison last month. Prosecutors said the killing was part of an ongoing gang war in Jacksonville, Florida.
Ultimately, Judge Michelle Sisco sentenced all four men to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. They were also sentenced to additional sentences for additional concurrent charges.
Watch video of the men speaking in court below.
