An admitted killer involved in the 2021 murder of Memphis rapper Young Dolph has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On Friday, May 15, 2026, Cornelius Smith, one of the primary suspects in the high-profile case, appeared in a Memphis court to finalize his plea agreement.
Smith, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, a move that resulted in the dismissal of his initial charges, which included first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder. As part of the agreement, Smith is expected to receive credit for time already served, leaving him with approximately 15 years remaining on his sentence.
The prosecution noted that Smith’s cooperation throughout the legal proceedings was instrumental in securing a conviction against Justin Johnson, the second gunman involved in the fatal shooting. Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman emphasized the necessity of Smith’s testimony in navigating the complexities of the case.
“From his arrest until now, Cornelius has accepted responsibility, and he’s agreed to cooperate,” Hagerman told the media. “[The family] understood and they were in the loop all along that to solve complex cases like this often times you need somebody to cooperate, and that means at the end of the day you have to take a person’s cooperation and truthful testimony into consideration, but I think we struck a balance of something that’s firm and something that gave them a measure of justice that they wanted.”
During his testimony, Smith confessed to his role in the hit, which he stated was orchestrated by Big Jook, the late brother of rapper Yo Gotti. While Justin Johnson was previously sentenced to life in prison plus 35 years for his role in the murder, the alleged mastermind of the plot, Hernandez Govan, was acquitted of all charges last summer.
The sentencing marks a significant milestone in the long-running legal battle surrounding the death of Adolph Thornton Jr., known globally as Young Dolph. His family and legal representatives have expressed that this resolution provides a necessary measure of closure as the community continues to mourn the loss of the influential artist.