Man wanted in fatal shooting of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, reward offered

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (TCD) -- A 23-year-old man is wanted for allegedly shooting rapper Young Dolph to death in November 2021.

According to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Office, 36-year-old Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., also known as "Young Dolph," was shot to death in Memphis on Nov. 17, 2021. Upon further investigation, the Memphis Police issued a first-degree murder arrest warrant against Justin Johnson, the Marshals Office says.

According to the Marshals Office, "The U.S. Marshals Service, Memphis Police Department, Crime Stoppers and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are offering a combined reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the capture of a Memphis man wanted for the murder of a Memphis rapper."

The Marshals Office says Johnson also has a warrant out for violation of federal supervised release stemming from an initial weapon offense charge.

The U.S. Marshals Office describes Johnson as a 23-year-old Black male standing approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing around 190 pounds. He reportedly has "Jaiya" tattooed on his right arm.

Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr. told WREG-TV, he is "deeply saddened that it’s a young person finding himself in a situation where his life is essentially over. It hurts knowing it was a young person. It hurts knowing he took someone who meant so much to the community away from us."

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