Young Dolph’s murder suspect, Hernandez Govan, appeared before Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis on Thursday (November 17), where he pleaded not guilty to charges, according to the Associated Press.
Govan — the fourth suspect charged in the November 2021 shooting death of Dolph — was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder by a grand jury last week.
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Authorities believe the 43-year-old is the one who ordered the hit on Dolph. His conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charge dates back to June 2021, meaning the prosecution believes he allegedly planned the murder months in advance.
“Mr. Govan has been indicted and is in custody for being involved in the Young Dolph murderer,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy previously said. “He played the role of the person who solicited the murder.”
Govan’s next hearing is currently slated for December 16. He’s actually the father of the recently slain rapper Desto, who was killed in Houston in September.
His indictment follows the arrests of Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, who are accused of fatally shooting Young Dolph outside Makeda’s Cookies in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee on November 17, 2021.
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Johnson and Smith remain in custody after also being charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, along with firearm charges, earlier this year. Both men have pleaded not guilty and are expected back in court on January 20.
A 27-year-old man named Shundale Barnett was charged with accessory after the fact for allegedly helping Johnson after Dolph’s murder, but he remains at large after being mistakenly released from jail at the top of 2022.
The one-year anniversary of Young Dolph’s death was honored earlier this week with a day of service being held across the country. The late rapper’s IdaMae Foundation gave back to local communities in various cities while inspiring his fans to follow suit.
In Dolph’s hometown of Memphis, the foundation provided free haircuts, lunches and winter clothing, while also giving out free haircuts and meals in Atlanta.
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The Paper Route Empire CEO’s estate also released a new posthumous single titled “Get Away” on Thursday. It serves as the lead track from Dolph’s forthcoming posthumous album, Paper Route Frank.
The project, which Dolph recorded in full prior to his passing, is set to drop on December 9 with guest appearances from Gucci Mane, Key Glock, Peewee Longway and others.
