Alicia Andrews took the witness stand this week in a Tampa courtroom with a sharp tone and little emotion as prosecutors accused her of helping orchestrate the ambush killing of Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio during a violent feud between rival Hip-Hop crews.
The 25-year-old is the first of five defendants to go on trial for the June 23, 2024, shooting that left Foolio — born Charles Jones — dead outside a Holiday Inn.
Prosecutors claim Andrews acted as a lookout, tracking the rapper’s movements before masked gunmen opened fire with modified rifles.
“Andrews conducted surveillance because her boyfriend had ‘beef’ with the victim,” Tampa Police Detective Juan Ramos testified, linking the killing to a long-running gang dispute in Jacksonville.
Investigators say the murder was part of a brutal turf war between Foolio’s 6 Block and the opposing ATK and 1200 gangs.
Andrews’ boyfriend, Isaiah Chance, is allegedly affiliated with ATK, along with three other co-defendants, Sean Gathright, Rashad Murphy and Davion Murphy, who are awaiting separate trials.
Detective Ramos told jurors that phone data, surveillance footage and license plate readers placed Andrews at the murder scene.
“Phone records, video surveillance and license plate readers show Andrews at the murder scene,” he said.
According to prosecutors, Andrews booked a Tampa Airbnb through Instagram and was captured on doorbell video entering the property. Cell tower data also placed her near several locations where the group allegedly scouted Foolio before the attack.
FDLE firearms analyst Amara Drew testified that “all three cartridge cases were fired from the same firearm,” referring to a Glock pistol used in the shooting that killed Foolio and injured two others.
Despite the digital trail, Andrews’ defense maintains she had no idea a murder was planned. Her attorneys argued she believed she was on a romantic trip with Chance and had no role in the deadly plot.
During cross-examination, Ramos admitted there is no direct evidence that Andrews knew about a plan to kill Foolio.
She was not present when weapons were packed and did not visit co-defendant Gathright’s home, where prosecutors say the group prepared for the hit.
Andrews had minimal contact with the other defendants, aside from Chance, and was not seen with any firearms. She spent time at the Airbnb posting about food and jewelry while the others went to Teasers nightclub.
There were no text messages, phone calls or digital communication linking her to the murder plan in the days or weeks before the killing. Initial claims that she let the group into the Airbnb were later disproven by digital lock logs, which showed someone else entered first.
When police confronted Andrews with first-degree murder charges, she did not confess and denied knowing Foolio.
“She denied knowing victim Julio Foolio when shown his photograph,” Ramos testified.
Digital evidence showed Chance used Cash App to pay $361.16 for the Tampa Airbnb at 3:54 A.M. on June 22, 2024, just hours before the ambush. The case has pulled back the curtain on Jacksonville’s drill rap scene, where music and social media serve as platforms for gang rivalries and violence.
Foolio, a prominent figure in 6 Block, had been involved in a years-long feud with ATK and 1200, groups known for using lyrics and videos to provoke enemies.
If convicted, Andrews faces life in prison on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy. The trial is scheduled to continue this week in Hillsborough County Circuit Court.
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