Pop Smoke's Murder Reportedly Connected To Rapper Found Dead In Barrel

L.A. rapper Sirtanky was found dead in a barrel on the shores of Malibu, and police are reportedly investigating whether this was retaliation for Pop's death.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
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2019 Rolling Loud LA

Even though it's been three years since, Pop Smoke's tragic passing hasn't gotten any easier to reckon with. In addition, it also remains a point of mystery and contention from a case perspective, with those accused of robbing him and taking his life either confessing or still in court. However, the case just got even murkier in relation to another saddening and grim murder. Moreover, local Los Angeles rapper Sirtanky was found dead inside of a barrel on the shores of Malibu earlier this week. Sirtanky, real name Javonnta Murphy, apparently has a link to the drill rapper's case that caused police to investigate further.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told TMZ that the following connection is just one of many possible theories and motives for Murphy's death. Furthermore, the publication learned that Sirtanky's brother, Jaquan Murphy, is one of the men who authorities arrested for Pop Smoke's murder back in 2020. He was cleared of this crime, though, and is not one of the men still facing justice for their crimes. Still, Jaquan Murphy is awaiting trial as of writing this article for an unrelated homicide charge in the area.

Read More: Pop Smoke Murder Suspect Pleads Guilty, Sentenced To 4 Years: Report

Pop Smoke Performing In 2019

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 30: Pop Smoke performs at the Soulfrito Music Festival at Barclays Center on August 30, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Arik Mazur/Getty Images)

As such, police are reportedly investigating this as a potentially retaliatory attack. With the case details still being quite vague, it will be hard to identify a motive without further information. Regardless, law enforcement isn't ruling any possibilities out when it comes to this grisly cases. When they initially found out about Sirtanky's body, they suspected "foul play" due to his body being naked. "At about 8 p.m., there’s a high tide here,” Lt. Hugo Renaya told The Los Angeles Times. “There’s a possibility that the container could have come in from the ocean and then got stuck in the lagoon. But we don’t know."

Meanwhile, one of the men accused of the New York MC's murder, an 18-year-old, recently confessed to the crime. Others either pleaded guilty or are still awaiting trial and judgement for their involvement in the house raid. Even though this could be connected to Sirtanky's death after all, it's unclear how it would impact Pop's case, if at all. With that in mind, for more news and the latest updates on these stories, stick around on HNHH.
Rest In Peace Sirtanky & Pop Smoke.

Read More: Pop Smoke Murder: What We Know About His Killers

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.