DALLAS — A Dallas County jury on Wednesday convicted rapper Yella Beezy of capital murder for hiring the gunman who fatally shot fellow rapper MO3 in a daylight attack on a busy Dallas interstate in 2020. Judge Chikya Anyiam immediately sentenced Markies Conway, 35, to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the mandatory sentence under Texas law for an adult convicted of capital murder when prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.

The verdict came exactly six years to the day after MO3, whose real name was Melvin Noble, was shot on Interstate 35 in south Dallas on November 11, 2020. He was 28. The man accused of ordering the killing was convicted on the anniversary of the day his victim died.

Key Points

• A Dallas County jury unanimously convicted Yella Beezy, 35, whose real name is Markies Conway, of capital murder on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
• Prosecutors said Conway paid gunman Kewon White 40,000 dollars to kill MO3 after a years-long feud between the two Dallas rappers.
• Judge Chikya Anyiam immediately sentenced Conway to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the mandatory sentence under Texas law.
• MO3, whose real name was Melvin Noble, was 28 when he was shot on Interstate 35 in south Dallas on November 11, 2020, exactly six years before the verdict.
• Gunman Kewon White was separately convicted of capital murder in September 2026 and sentenced to life without parole; a third defendant, Devin Brown, remains charged and awaits trial.

What Happened

Prosecutors told jurors that Conway hired Kewon White to kill MO3, paying him 40,000 dollars after a feud between the two rappers that had stretched on for years. White, wearing a mask, chased Noble's vehicle and fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol on Interstate 35 in south Dallas in broad daylight on November 11, 2020, according to the prosecution's account.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Because prosecutors were not seeking the death penalty, the conviction carried a single possible punishment under Texas law: life in prison without parole. Judge Anyiam imposed that sentence immediately after the verdict was read.

Conway pleaded not guilty and denied involvement in the killing. His defence maintained throughout the proceedings that he played no part in arranging the shooting. The jury accepted the prosecution's case that he paid White to carry out the attack.

Background

MO3 was one of Dallas's most prominent rap voices when he was killed at 28. His death on a crowded interstate in the middle of the day shocked the city's music community and drew national attention, not least because the shooting unfolded in traffic, in full view of other drivers, on one of the busiest highways running through south Dallas.

The investigation pointed prosecutors toward a murder-for-hire plot rooted in a long-running dispute between MO3 and Conway. White's own case reached its conclusion first: he was separately convicted of capital murder in September 2026 and sentenced to life in prison without parole, about two months before Conway's trial ended. Six years passed between the shooting and Conway's conviction. US News Pulse has also covered other recent deadly shootings in the United States, including a homecoming shooting in North Carolina that left one person dead and a Virginia Beach shooting that left two people dead.

The Yella Beezy Capital Murder Conviction

The conviction turns on the prosecution's claim that Conway did not pull the trigger himself but paid someone else to do it. Under Texas law, that distinction does not lessen the charge: hiring another person to commit murder is capital murder, and the punishment is the same as if the defendant had fired the shots. The jury's unanimous verdict means all twelve jurors agreed that Conway arranged and paid for the killing.

The details prosecutors presented were stark. White, masked, pursued Noble and fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol, a volume of gunfire that left little doubt about intent. With White already serving life without parole and Conway now sentenced to the same, two of the three men charged in the killing will spend the rest of their lives in prison. The remaining defendant, Devin Brown, is still charged and awaiting trial.

Reactions

No statements from the families of MO3 or Conway, or from the prosecution or defence teams, were included in the reports checked for this article, so there are no direct quotes to report. What the record shows is the outcome itself: a unanimous verdict, an immediate life sentence, and a case that ended on the sixth anniversary of the shooting.

Why It Matters

The conviction matters because murder-for-hire cases are among the hardest for prosecutors to prove: they require showing not just that a killing happened, but that the person on trial arranged and paid for it. A unanimous verdict on that charge, built around a 40,000-dollar payment and a masked gunman firing dozens of rounds on a public highway, is a significant result for the Dallas County District Attorney's office.

It also matters for Dallas. The shooting of MO3 happened in daylight, on Interstate 35, in front of other drivers. A killing that public, of a well-known local artist, left a mark on the city that has lasted six years. The verdict gives the case a formal ending, even if it cannot undo what happened on that stretch of highway in 2020.

What Happens Next

Conway will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole, meaning he will not be eligible for release. The sentence is mandatory under Texas law for his conviction, so there is no further sentencing hearing to come. It was not immediately clear whether he plans to appeal the conviction.

The remaining piece of the case is Devin Brown, the third defendant, who remains charged and is awaiting trial. No date for his trial was reported. When it is resolved, the prosecution of MO3's killing will finally be complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Yella Beezy?
Yella Beezy is a Dallas rapper whose real name is Markies Conway. He is 35 and was convicted on November 11, 2026, of capital murder for hiring MO3's killer.

Who was MO3?
MO3 was a Dallas rapper whose real name was Melvin Noble. He was 28 when he was shot on Interstate 35 in south Dallas on November 11, 2020, exactly six years before Yella Beezy was convicted of ordering his killing.

What sentence did Yella Beezy receive?
Judge Chikya Anyiam sentenced Conway to life in prison without the possibility of parole immediately after the verdict. That is the mandatory sentence under Texas law for an adult convicted of capital murder when prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.

Who was the gunman, and what happened to him?
Prosecutors said Kewon White was paid 40,000 dollars by Conway to kill MO3. White wore a mask and fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol. White was separately convicted of capital murder in September 2026 and sentenced to life without parole.

Is anyone else charged in the case?
Yes. A third defendant, Devin Brown, remains charged and is awaiting trial. Conway pleaded not guilty and denied involvement in the killing.