Alicia Andrews Sentenced to 15 Years in Rapper Julio Foolio’s Murder Case

A Hillsborough County judge on May 22 sentenced a woman connected to the 2024 killing of Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio to 15 years in state prison, closing another chapter in a case linked to Florida’s violent drill rap feud.

Alicia Andrews received the maximum sentence for manslaughter after prosecutors said she helped track the rapper's movements before he was fatally ambushed outside a Tampa hotel. Andrews was convicted earlier this year and was tried separately from the four co-defendants, who were sentenced last week to life in prison for capital murder.

Julio Foolio, whose real name was Charles Jones, was shot and killed in June 2024 while celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa. Three other people were wounded in the attack near a Holiday Inn close to the University of South Florida campus.

Authorities said Andrews followed as he moved between clubs during the trip and shared information that helped the gunmen locate him.

Before sentencing, Andrews appeared before Judge Kimberly Fernandez. Her lawyers renewed motions, first denied by a previous charge, and asked Fernandez to overturn the conviction.

Fernandez rejected the request after reviewing earlier filings and court transcripts.

“After having reviewed all of the defence's assertions as to the defence’s argument as to errors made by my predecessor judge, I am going to place on the record that I would not have ruled any differently,” Fernandez said in court.

The judge then handed down the 15-year sentence, after months of delay in the case.

The four men convicted alongside Andrews are Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, Davion Murphy, and Rashid Murphy. They faced the possibility of the death penalty before receiving life sentences.

Jones was a major figure in the Jacksonville drill rap scene, a genre known for songs that insult viral rival gangs and reference killings. Prosecutors said both Jones and the defendants were linked to rival gangs involved in a long-running feud.

Ahead of Friday’s sentencing, Jones’ mother addressed the court and spoke about the loss of her son.

“My son was hunted, followed and ultimately murdered in what authorities described as a coordinated plot involving multiple individuals. It is extremely painful to hear Alicia Andrews portray herself as someone who didn’t know what was going on,” Jones’ mother, Sandrikas Mays, said at Friday’s hearing.

The killing drew national attention and renewed debate over violence, tied to rap feuds in Florida. Moreover, prosecutors argued throughout the case that Andrews played a key role by helping the shooters track Jones during the final hours before the ambush.