Renowned U.S Rapper Silento, real name Ricky Hawk has been charged with the murder of his cousin. The 23-year-old star, more popularly known for his hit single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” was indicted by a Georgia grand jury on account of four felonies.
According to the legal documents produced by TMZ, Silento has been charged with aggravated assault, gun possession, and a count of malice and felony murder respectively. Even at present, the young rapper is being held without bond.
Silento’s arrest traces back to the alleged killing of his cousin, which took place in January of this year. On Jan.21, police officials had received a call in the middle of the night regarding gunshots fired. They reached the crime scene to find Silento’s 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks, dead on the spot.
The cause of Rook’s death was attributed to multiple gunshot wounds that were fired by Silento himself. Subsequently, the DeKalb Police Department had arrested the rapper on grounds of murder and announced this news on Twitter.
“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. #WeAreDKPD,”
read the department’s tweet.
Channel Hudson, the official PR manager of Silento made an appeal for prayers on Instagram. “Ricky is a beautiful soul”, said Hudson via an individual post. She also added how the young rapper’s physical and mental health has been affected while staying in prison.
While the rapper has been arrested in connection with his cousin’s murder, his record doesn’t help in improving the case either. With an extensive history of legal troubles, Silento had only been arrested for assault last year.
This accusation came after the star allegedly walked into a stranger’s house in Los Angeles and swung a hatchet at one of the residents. If that wasn’t enough, the young man had been arrested a day before this incident on account of domestic violence in a Santa Ana house.
