Young Dolph death: 4th man wanted in Memphis slaying of rapper turns self in, police say

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WLS) -- One of the men wanted in the death of Memphis rapper Young Dolph has turned himself in.

Jemarcus Johnson is one of four men arrested in connection with the shooting death of Young Dolph, whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton, Junior.

The Chicago-born rapper was gunned down in a daylight ambush at a popular cookie shop on Nov. 17. He was 36 years old.

Three people were previously arrested and charged.

Johnson is being held in the Shelby County Jail in Tennessee on one count of conspiracy to commit first degree murder.

According to jail records, his bond is set at $300,000.

In January, a grand jury indicted Cornelius Smith, 32, on first-degree murder and other charges in the rapper's murder. Smith was arrested in Indiana on an auto-theft warrant involving the vehicle used in Young Dolph's killing.

Separately, the U.S. Marshals Service said Justin Johnson, 23, was arrested, after a murder warrant was issued for him in January. The agency did not say where in Indiana that Johnson was found.

The man charged with arranging the killing, 43-year-old Hernandez Govan, pleaded not guilty Thursday, ABC News reported. Govan made a brief appearance in Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis. He was arrested last week after he was indicted on charges including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The judge scheduled Govan's next hearing for Dec. 16.

Johnson and Smith have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in the shooting and are being held in jail without bond. They are scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 20.

The shooting stunned Memphis and shocked the entertainment world. City officials and community activists pointed to the killing as a symbol of the dangers of gun violence in Memphis, where more than 300 homicides were reported last year.

Known for his depictions of tough street life and his independent approach to the music business, Young Dolph was admired for charitable works in Memphis. He organized Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, donated thousands of dollars to high schools, and paid rent and covered funeral costs for people in the Castalia Heights neighborhood where he was raised.

His work as a rapper, producer and owner of the independent label "Paper Route Empire" took him away from Memphis, but the father of two had returned to the city days before his killing to visit a sick relative and organize a turkey giveaway that took place without him.

After Young Dolph's death, a section of a street near his boyhood home was renamed for him. A private funeral was held and he was honored during a public celebration at FedExForum, the home of the Memphis Grizzles of the NBA and the University of Memphis men's basketball team.

City officials and community activists also pointed to the killing as a symbol of the scourge of gun violence in Memphis. Since the rapper's death, Memphis has seen several other high-profile killings this year, including the shooting of a United Methodist Church pastor during a carjacking in her driveway; the kidnapping and shooting of an elementary school teacher who police said was abducted during an early morning run; and a man's daylong shooting rampage that was partially livestreamed and led to the death of three people.

Young Dolph is one of several prominent hip-hop artists to be killed in recent years. His independent approach to the music business drew comparisons to Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot in 2019. Other rappers who have lost their lives to gun violence since 2018 include XXXTentacion, Pop Smoke and, most recently, Takeoff, who was killed outside of a bowling alley after a party in Houston on Nov. 1.

In an article in The Atlantic dated Tuesday, rappers Too Short and E-40 called for the hip-hop community to find ways to come together and support each other amid the spate of gun deaths in the industry.

Young Dolph was born in Chicago and moved to Memphis with his parents when he was 2. He released numerous mixtapes, starting with 2008s "Paper Route Campaign," and multiple studio albums, including his 2016 debut "King of Memphis." He also collaborated on other mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others.

He had three albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020s "Rich Slave" peaking at No. 4.

Young Dolph had survived previous shootings. He was shot multiple times in September 2017 after a fight outside a Los Angeles hotel. In February of that year, his SUV was shot at in Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 100 times. That was the inspiration for the song "100 Shots." He said he survived because he had bulletproof panels in his vehicle.

In a weekly newsletter, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said Govan "solicited the murder and put it in motion." But no evidence has been made public to support that statement, and a suspected motive has not been disclosed. The investigation is ongoing.

ABC News, CNN and the Associated Press contributed to this post.