Authorities Link Dead Body Found in Barrel To Pop Smoke’s Murder

Police are investigating the connection between late rapper Pop Smoke’s murder and a dead body found in a barrel on the beach in Malibu.

Police say the barrel contained the body of Javonnta Murphy. It was washed ashore on July 31. Murphy is the brother of Jaquan Murphy, one of the 5 people arrested in connection to the 2020 murder of Pop Smoke, TMZ reported.

Jaquan was first charged with attempted murder for Pop Smoke’s death but was later cleared. But he is currently awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in L.A. County.

Law enforcement sources tell the outlet that the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s investigators are now looking into the possibility Javonnta’s murder was retaliation for Pop’s murder.