Dallas jury finds musician Markies Conway guilty of paying for fatal highway shooting of rival artist Melvin Noble

A Dallas County panel has handed down a capital murder conviction to thirty-five-year-old musician Markies Conway, widely known as Yella Beezy, for arranging the contract killing of fellow artist Melvin Noble on a crowded highway four years ago. The verdict carries an automatic sentence of life behind bars with zero chance of parole. Investigators established that Conway provided forty thousand dollars to Kewon White to carry out the daylight assassination. White previously received a life term without parole in September for firing the fatal shots.

What Happened

Melvin Noble, performing as MO3, was targeted around midday while operating a vehicle along a major freeway through the southern portion of Dallas. Court records show that White pulled adjacent to the target vehicle, brandished an AK-47-style weapon, and began a pursuit on foot after Noble abandoned his car. Prosecutor Tommy Adams detailed that the assailant fired upwards of forty rounds while wearing a mask, striking both the primary target and an innocent bystander who survived the incident. Noble was subsequently transported to a medical facility where he succumbed to his injuries.

Motive and Trial

State attorneys argued that the homicide stemmed from a bitter rivalry spanning several years between the two local musicians. During court proceedings, prosecutor Krystal Biggins presented interview footage of Conway discussing retribution alongside evidence connecting the dispute to a previous 2018 roadway assault where Conway himself sustained gunshot wounds. Defense counsel John Gussio maintained that the state relied entirely on unverified assumptions rather than concrete evidence. Both individuals enjoyed substantial public recognition in the music industry, with Noble known for his remix featuring Boosie Badazz and Conway recognized for tracks featuring Quavo and Gucci Mane.

Context

Capital murder charges typically apply in legal jurisdictions when a homicide involves specific aggravating factors, such as hiring a third party to commit a contract killing. Interstate highway systems frequently present distinct security challenges for law enforcement due to high vehicle speeds and multiple entry and exit points. High-profile disputes within the entertainment sector occasionally escalate beyond public exchanges into severe physical altercations.