Major legal developments have emerged regarding a high-profile case involving a former local resident. Prosecutors in Florida have officially dropped witness tampering charges against Gifford native and former Vero Beach High School student Jamell Demons, widely known by his stage name YNW Melly. The dismissal occurred on January 20, just one day before jury selection was scheduled to commence for that specific trial.
While the tampering charges have been dismissed, the 26-year-old artist remains in custody as he awaits a retrial for separate first-degree murder charges involving the deaths of two childhood friends from the Indian River County area.
Details on the Dropped Charges
The now-dismissed case centered on allegations that the rapper attempted to prevent a witness from testifying during his initial 2023 double-murder trial, which ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. According to reports from the courtroom, Assistant State Attorney Alixandra Buckelew announced the decision during a status conference.
The specific charges dismissed by Broward County prosecutors included:
- Witness tampering
- Directing the activities of a criminal gang
- Criminal solicitation to commit murder
- Conspiracy to tamper with a witness in a capital case
Florida prosecutors in Broward County dismissed four charges against Demons Jan. 20… just before that trial’s start date. However, the rapper still faces double-murder charges with a retrial scheduled in January 2027.
The Ongoing Murder Case
Despite this recent legal victory regarding the tampering allegations, Demons still faces significant legal jeopardy. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the October 26, 2018, shooting deaths of Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr.
Both victims were also Treasure Coast locals; Williams was from Fort Pierce, and Thomas was from Gifford. The three men, along with co-defendant Cortlen Henry, were part of a close-knit hip-hop collective that formed locally.
The legal landscape for the co-defendants has shifted recently. In September 2025, Cortlen Henry (known as YNW Bortlen), who was also a Vero Beach resident, accepted a plea deal. Henry pleaded no contest to accessory charges, receiving a 10-year prison sentence and avoiding a first-degree murder trial.
What Comes Next?
Jamell Demons has been held in the Broward County Jail since his arrest in February 2019. Following the dismissal of the tampering charges, his legal team is now focused on the upcoming capital murder retrial.
If convicted, Demons could face the death penalty. The retrial is currently scheduled to begin on January 6, 2027. Until then, a judge has denied requests for pre-trial release, meaning the Gifford native will remain in custody for the duration of the wait.
