The final chapter in Young Dolph’s murder case closed Friday as the last remaining defendant received his sentence nearly four and a half years after the Memphis rapper was gunned down in broad daylight.
Cornelius Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a Shelby County courtroom on May 15, 2026, after accepting a plea deal that reduced his charge from first-degree to second-degree murder. Prosecutors credited his cooperation as a key factor in the outcome.
Smith, 36, was connected to the November 17, 2021, shooting at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies that claimed the life of Adolph Thornton Jr. — known to the world as Young Dolph. When the shooting video was shown in court during a previous proceeding, Smith identified himself as the first gunman to open fire, and confirmed that the second shooter was Justin Johnson. He later told the court, “I didn’t even know Dolph. I felt stupid. I knew I messed up.”
Smith’s path to sentencing was far from smooth. Attorneys for both sides indicated in February that a plea had been reached, but said they needed more time to iron out specific details — particularly around his housing within the Department of Corrections. Concerns about whether he would be held in solitary confinement for his own protection also held up the process, as Smith had been housed out of state since testifying against Johnson.
Johnson was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, and was sentenced to life in prison. A third suspect, Hernandez Govan, who was accused of organizing the killing, was acquitted by a jury last summer.
Smith’s cooperation against Johnson was central to the reduced charge. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy issued a statement following Friday’s sentencing: “Young Dolph was a beloved member of this community, his death a tragedy, his murder an outrage. We’re glad to finally have this last part of the case resolved. The sentence properly reflects the gravity of the offense while giving due consideration to the cooperation this defendant provided. We hope this resolution can give Dolph’s family some sense of closure.”
