Charges Dropped Against Man Linked to Young Dolph Murder Investigation

Charges were dropped this week against a man linked to the 2021 murder of Young Dolph hours after he was arrested.

Shundale Barnett, who is the cousin of Justin Johnson (the man convicted of killing Dolph), was taken into custody on January 27, 2025, facing charges of accessory after the fact, attempted first-degree murder, and theft of property.

Barnett was originally arrested in January 2022 by U.S. Marshals in Indiana alongside Johnson. However, he was released soon after. At the time, authorities accused him of being an accessory after the fact, but the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office ultimately chose not to pursue the charges.

A spokesperson for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said that the charges against Barnett had already been dismissed and that his arrest should not have happened. “When Barnett was originally apprehended, the U.S. Marshals charged him with accessory after the fact. However, at that time, our office did not formally pursue charges, and the charge was later retracted. As a result, the warrant should have been recalled—as we stated last year.”

The warrant was mistakenly left active in the system, but this has now been corrected. The office is now reviewing the situation to determine why Barnett was taken into custody despite the case against him being dropped.

As Barnett’s charges were dropped, attention now turns to Hernandez Govan, who is still set to stand trial for his alleged role in masterminding the plot this summer.