DALLAS, United States – Dallas rapper Yella Beezy, whose legal name is Markies Conway, was found guilty of capital murder on Wednesday, November 11, for arranging the killing of fellow rapper Melvin Noble, professionally known as MO3, in a 2020 shooting on a busy interstate.
A Dallas County jury unanimously convicted Conway, 35, of capital murder in a murder-for-hire case. Judge Chikya Anyiam sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the punishment imposed under Texas law for the conviction.
The verdict came exactly six years after Noble was shot and killed on Interstate 35E in south Dallas. Conway had pleaded not guilty and maintained that prosecutors had failed to prove he arranged the attack.
Prosecutors say Conway paid $40,000 for the killing
Prosecutors argued that the murder followed a years-long feud between Conway and Noble, both prominent figures in the Dallas rap scene.
They alleged that Conway paid Kewon White $40,000 to kill Noble. Investigators said White approached Noble’s vehicle on November 11, 2020, while Noble was driving along Interstate 35E.
According to the prosecution’s account, White got out of his vehicle carrying an AK-47-style pistol and pursued Noble as he attempted to escape on foot. Prosecutors said White fired more than 40 rounds, killing Noble and wounding a bystander who survived.
The prosecution presented surveillance footage, financial records, witness testimony and other evidence to support its allegation that Conway had arranged the killing through intermediaries. Prosecutors also referred to a 2018 shooting in which Conway was wounded while driving in the Dallas area as part of their argument about the motive.
Defense challenges prosecution’s evidence
Conway’s defense argued that prosecutors had not established a reliable connection between him and the fatal shooting.
Defense attorney John Gussio told jurors that the prosecution’s case relied on speculation rather than proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Conway denied involvement in the killing.
A key part of the trial involved testimony from rapper Theodore Thomas, known professionally as Jose Bodega. Thomas disputed portions of his earlier grand jury testimony concerning the alleged feud and payment, saying some of his previous statements were false.
The defense highlighted those inconsistencies, while prosecutors challenged Thomas’s revised account and presented his earlier statements to the jury.
Despite the defense arguments, jurors returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
Gunman previously sentenced to life
White, identified by prosecutors as the gunman who shot Noble, was separately convicted of capital murder in September 2026 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Another defendant, Devin Brown, remains charged in connection with the killing and is awaiting trial.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office previously described the investigation as a broader murder-for-hire operation. In its September 2026 case summary concerning White, the office said investigators used surveillance footage, witness accounts, digital evidence, cellphone records, jail calls and financial records to develop the case.
Defense plans to appeal
Following the verdict, Conway’s defense attorney Toby Shook said the legal team was disappointed and intended to challenge the conviction.
Shook said the defense believed it had substantial grounds for appeal. Local court reporting also indicated that the case would proceed through the automatic appeal process.
Noble, who was 28 when he died, had built a following in the Dallas music scene and was known for his music, including a remix of “Errybody” featuring Boosie Badazz.
Conway gained wider recognition through songs including “That’s On Me” and “Bacc At It Again,” featuring Quavo and Gucci Mane.
The conviction marks a major development in the prosecution of those accused of involvement in Noble’s killing, although the case against the remaining defendant has yet to be resolved.
Primary Sources: Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, “The Justice Journal: Vol. 82,” September 17, 2026: provides the prosecution’s official account of the investigation into Melvin Noble’s killing, identifies Kewon White as the gunman, describes evidence gathered by investigators and confirms White’s capital murder conviction and life sentence; Dallas County court proceedings in State of Texas v. Markies Conway, November 11, 2026: the jury returned a unanimous capital murder verdict and Judge Chikya Anyiam imposed life imprisonment without parole. The complete verdict form, sentencing order and trial transcript were not independently retrieved; the outcome and courtroom details are documented through contemporaneous reporting. The prosecution’s allegation that Conway paid $40,000 for the killing remains an account presented at trial, rather than a separate finding stated in the retrieved court record.
