Tension and grief filled the courtroom this week as the trial over Jacksonville rapper Foolio’s death moved forward. On Wednesday, October 22, one of Foolio’s closest friends, Mr. Norris, took the stand and delivered an emotional testimony recounting the night the rapper was killed.
According to courtroom reports, Norris described being in the back seat of Foolio’s Dodge Charger parked outside a Holiday Inn in Tampa, Florida. He recalled waking up to a sudden burst of loud noises, thinking at first that the car had been hit. “The first thing I saw was Foolio laid out,” Norris testified. “I thought it was a car accident until I looked up and saw the bullet holes. And I saw Xavier covered in blood, yelling.”
Realizing the gravity of what had happened, Norris said he rushed into the hotel to get help. His voice trembled as he described the scene, at times too overwhelmed to continue. The judge briefly excused the jury so Norris could compose himself before continuing.
Inside the courtroom sat Alicia Andrews, one of five individuals accused of orchestrating Foolio’s killing. Prosecutors allege that Andrews and her boyfriend, Isaiah Chance, acted as lookouts while three others carried out the fatal shooting. Andrews is currently on trial for premeditated first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The remaining suspects, identified as Sean Gathright, Rashad Murphy, Davion Murphy, and Chance, are expected to face trial next spring.
Foolio, whose real name was Julio Foolio, was fatally shot on June 23, 2024, while celebrating his 26th birthday. The courtroom’s emotional testimony from his friend served as a haunting reminder of a life cut short and the tragedy that continues to weigh on those who knew him best.