Shundale Barnett has been arrested and faces charges in relation to the murder of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, according to law enforcement officials. Barnett is charged with accessory after the fact, attempted first-degree murder, and theft of property valued between $10,000 to $60,000. The charges stem from allegations that Barnett provided a vehicle to his cousin, Justin Johnson, who was on the run from authorities following the fatal shooting of Young Dolph.
As reported by Action News 5, Barnett is accused of renting a car for Johnson to use while evading arrest in December 2021, over a month after the rapper's death. In tandem, Justin Johnson has been sentenced to life in prison, and an attempt for a new trial was unsuccessful. Hernandez Govan, the person investigators believe planned the murder, is set to go to trial in July.
Details from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office indicate that despite Barnett's initial arrest in 2022, charges were not immediately formalized, creating a brief gap in his connection to the case. "Back when he was originally located with Justin Johnson back in 2022 the US Marshals office charged him with accessory after the fact. But the D.A.s office at that time never officially charged him with anything and that charge was retracted. So nothing was ever put in the system and he was never listed as a defendant in any way. So technically he has no connection to the case or with Johnson," the District Attorney's Office stated in November last year, as reported by WREG.
A police affidavit further clarifies Barnett's alleged involvement, detailing the rental of a gray Dodge Ram truck used by Johnson. "when police attempted to find Johnson at a Hickory Hill address, the person there said Johnson had come to the house in a gray Dodge Ram," according to court records cited by The Commercial Appeal. It was following these allegations that Barnett, now 30, was booked and his bond is yet to be set. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday morning, providing a possible new piece to the unfolding narrative of Young Dolph's tragic demise.
