NEWSRapper Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Killing His Cousin After Guilty Plea Deal
Silentó pleaded guilty but mentally ill for the murder of his cousin.
Rapper Silentó was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2021 fatal shooting of his cousin, Frederick Rooks.
The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" hitmaker, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Wednesday, June 11, in DeKalb County, Ga., on charges related to killing his family member more than four years ago.
Silentó Imprisoned for Fatal Shooting of His Family Member
Silento was sentenced to 30 years behind bars.
Silentó, 27, accepted a plea deal for a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and concealing a death of another. His felony murder charge was dropped, according to a report.
The "Thinking About You" rapper was initially arrested in February 2021 and charged with malice murder after his cousin was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds at a home in Panthersville, Ga., on January 21, 2021.
Silentó Pleads Guilty But Mentally Ill
The 27-year-old fatally shot his cousin in January 2021.
"Today, Ricky Hawk, 23, was arrested for the murder of his cousin Frederick Rooks, 34. On January 21, the DeKalb County Police Department investigated Rooks’ death after he was found shot on Deep Shoals Circle. Hawk is in the DeKalb County Jail charged with Murder," DeKalb County Police Department revealed in a statement at the time.
Silentó has been in jail since his February 2021 arrest and will receive credit for time already served.
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Silento allegedly has experienced mental health struggles throughout his fame.
After being handcuffed four years ago, Silentó’s then-publicist, Chanel Hudson, urged fans via social media to understand her client's mental health issues and insinuated his apparent illness played a role in his decision to shoot his cousin.
"Please send my client Silento some positive vibrations," the rep expressed. "Over the past several years, Ricky has been suffering immensely from a series of mental illnesses. We will continue in his efforts of treatment, but we ask in the meantime the public uplift him and his family in immediate prayer & positive energy!! Ricky is a beautiful soul, and we hope that the same people who came up whippin’ and nay naying with him, continue to support him and lifted in prayer. God bless."
Inside Silentó's History of Trouble With the Law
Silento released the hit track 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)' in 2015 at age 17.
In the years leading up to the murder, Silentó was arrested multiple times.
The "Aye Bae Bae" rapper was arrested twice in August 2020 on domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon charges in California. During October of that same year, Silentó was taken into police custody for speeding in DeKalb County.
Silentó skyrocketed into success when he was just 17 years old in 2015 after releasing the mega-viral song "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," which charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. His music video for the track has more than 1.9 billion views on YouTube.
