A Florida woman accused of helping plan the ambush that killed Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio is on trial this week, with prosecutors describing a “hellish onslaught” carried out in Tampa last year.
Alicia Andrews, 22, faces charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy in connection with the June 2024 killing of Foolio, whose real name was Charles Jones.
Prosecutors allege that Andrews and several co-defendants plotted the attack, coordinating travel from Jacksonville to Tampa, where the 26-year-old artist was gunned down outside a hotel.
In opening statements, prosecutors told jurors that Andrews played a crucial logistical role in setting the plan in motion. “She’s sending that message Friday night.. ‘Hey, could I book an Airbnb in Tampa?’” one prosecutor said, suggesting the text marked the beginning of the deadly operation.
Investigators say cell phone data places Andrews’ phone travelling along Interstate 75 in tandem with her boyfriend, Isaiah Chance, one of the alleged shooters. Later, her phone pinged near the hotel where Foolio was killed after leaving the rented Airbnb.
“They moved rapidly into pre-planned positions,” prosecutors told the court. “Then they unleashed a hellish onslaught — a precisely coordinated act of violence that left Charles Jones with no chance to live.”
Defence attorneys, however, maintain that Andrews was in Tampa for a weekend getaway and had no knowledge of any plan to kill the rapper. “She was with her boyfriend,” one lawyer said. “That’s all.”
The case has reignited debate over the cycle of retaliatory violence that has haunted Jacksonville’s rap scene. Foolio, known for his provocative lyrics and online feuds, had survived multiple shooting attempts before his death.
Testimony is expected to continue through the week.
