Miramar, FL

YNW Melly has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. XXL reports a source close to the case confirmed the news on Tuesday (March 5).

The incarcerated rapper was arrested on February 13 for allegedly shooting two members of his crew —  YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy — last October. YNW Bortlen, also part of the YNW crew, was arrested the day before and slapped with the same murder charges as well as two counts of accessory after the fact.

In the wake of Sakchaser and Juvy’s deaths, Melly publicly mourned them on Instagram. But during their investigation, Miramar police discovered evidence the two men weren’t killed in a drive-by shooting as Melly and Bortlen suggested. They believe the fatal shots came from inside the Jeep Compass all four men were riding in at the time.

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Everything To Know About YNW Melly & His Pending Murder Charges

Detectives believe Melly — who was sitting in the left rear passenger seat — was the shooter. They think Melly and Bortlen drove around with the dead bodies in the car for an “extended period of time” while they scrambled to come up with a plausible story.

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Bortlen was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday as well. He also has another arraignment set for Wednesday morning (March 6), but it’s unclear if that’s simply makeup hearing.