Detectives identify rapper YNW Melly's slain friends

Detectives investigate double murder in Broward County

MIRAMAR, Fla. – Jamell Maurice Demons, a 19-year-old Florida Treasure Coast rapper better known as YNW Melly, was mourning two of his best friends. 

On Tuesday, Miramar Police Department detectives were searching for the killers of two rappers, 19-year-old Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas and 21-year-old Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams.

"They took my brothers from me over jealousy," Demons wrote to his nearly 22,000 followers on Twitter. He also added, the killers "want to see me break down and stop or in jail or a box."

According to Tania Rues, a spokeswoman for the Miramar Police Department, the victims were last seen alive about 3:20 a.m., on Friday, in Fort Lauderdale. Detective Carlos Villalona said the victims arrived at Memorial Hospital Miramar about 4:35 a.m. 

Villalona said a third man was wounded, but Rues said detectives are withholding the identity of the driver who arrived to the hospital with Thomas and Williams. Early Saturday morning, a crime scene investigator was taking pictures of a gray Jeep with a shattered back window.

Thomas' last share on his popular Instagram account was a picture of Demons performing on stage Oct. 21. 

"Extra Super Proud of You," Thomas wrote. 

This isn't the first time gun violence hurts Demons. When he was 16 years old, he was involved in a shoot out near Vero Beach High School in Indian River County, and he had to spend time behind bars on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of discharging a firearm in public.  

Demons told The Fader he focused on his music while in jail, and found success on SoundCloud. In June, the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Demons in Lee County on possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and drug equipment possession.

Demons told The Fader that he moved out of Indian River County to Miami, because he feared for his life and "had to get out of that environment." 

Miramar detectives are asking anyone with information about the double murder to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.


About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.