Three wannabe rappers allegedly murdered a man for $300 so they could flash it at a performance inside a Tampa nightclub, police say.
One of the accused even showed off the loot in a Facebook video of the concert, “My Performance Was Litt.”
Joseph Edward Brandon (aka Waxx), Jonathan Felix (aka Killa), and Dylan Kindred (aka DK) of Winter Haven, Florida, were arrested Saturday during an investigation into the murder of Tyler Macklin. The trio allegedly needed the money to use on stage at a rap show at Club Skye, because the three men wanted to appear richer than they really were.
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Kindred was Facebook friends with Macklin, a small-time drug dealer, and it was his idea to rob him, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference on Monday. “An easy lick,” is how Kindred described it, according to Judd.
Brandon and Felix allegedly walked into Macklin’s house last Wednesday while Kindred waited outside in a car, according to Judd. He heard the door go down, and then a gunshot, before the two other men came back to the car.
Murder was apparently too much for Kindred though, who turned himself into police and gave up the alleged killers. The 20-year-old confessed that he, Brandon, and Felix drove to Macklin’s home to rob him and that Brandon was armed with a handgun.
“I’m always amused when people think that marijuana is a ‘non-violent drug,’” Judd said. “I want you to ask Tyler Macklin’s mom what she thinks of that supposition.”
Police said they have a second witness who was on the phone with Macklin when he was killed.
“Hey, you don’t have to do this, my wallet is right there,” the witness recounted hearing Macklin say, according to police.
After the line went dead, the witness drove to Macklin’s home armed with a knife and baseball bat, Judd said. After pushing through the front door to find his friend’s dead body, the witness called 911.
All three have criminal histories: Brandon has previous arrests for grand theft, burglary, and violation of probation, and Kindred was arrested for narcotics possession in January. Felix, a 21-year-old who already served four years in prison for an armed robbery, was also hit with a possession of a firearm by a felon charge.
Ryan Macklin, the victim’s brother, expressed his grief and rage on Facebook after finding out about his brother’s death.
“You sorry piece of fucking shits,” he posted. “Breaks my heart and brings so many tears to my eyes that Tyler was loved by so many people. I feel like it’s still a dream.”
One Facebook friend of Kindred called on him to take responsibility.
“Dylan was just as involved! He was just the first one arrested & THE ONLY ONE TO TALK so they only have ONE SIDE!” Jazmine Webb posted. “Dylan wasn’t in the streets growing up, he was new to the game so he got caught up & couldn’t handle the pressure.”
Brandon and Felix are charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, armed burglary, and conspiracy. Kindred is charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, which Judd called a “placeholder charge.”
Nevertheless, Kindred will be in jail just like the other two men.
“So any dancing they’re doing…one of them’s gonna have to be humming while the other one’s dancing,” Judd said.
