Up-and-coming rapper YNW Melly arrested for allegedly murdering 2 of his 'best friends'

An up-and-coming teenage rapper who recently collaborated with Kanye West was arrested Wednesday for allegedly killing two friends and staging a fake scene to make the slayings look like a drive-by shooting.

Jamell Demons, who goes by YNW Melly, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the October 2018 deaths of Anthony Williams, 21, and Christopher Thomas Jr., 19. The shootings occurred in Broward County, Fla., which is the greater Fort Lauderdale area.

Before surrendering to police, Demons 19, proclaimed his innocence on Instagram: "A couple of months ago, I lost my two brothers by violence and now the system wants to find justice," he said. "Unfortunately, a lot of lies and rumors are being said. But no worries, God is with me."

The rapper had built up a massive social media fanbase with more than 1 million followers on Instagram. His Wednesday post, in which he said he was "turning myself in" to police despite his supposed innocence, racked up more than 300,000 likes and 22,000 comments.

PHOTOS: Rapper YNW Melly's personal photos on Instagram

After the Oct. 26 slayings, Demons posted a photo with his two deceased friends, writing, "They took m brothers from me over jealousy, I know ya'll watching over me," and thanking fans for their prayers.

Other popular photos on his page include a December 2018 selfie with Kanye West and announcements for a tour, which was scheduled to begin this week in New York.

Online streams of his 2017 single "Murder on My Mind," which was certified gold. jumped dramatically amid news of his arrest. Released well before the incident in question, it includes lyrics like "I didn't even mean to shoot him / He just caught me by surprise / I reloaded my pistol, cocked it back and shot him twice."

"Can't wait to see ya'll soon," he wrote on Feb. 1. "Had to push back the dates because of issues with my jail time."

Police believe that after shooting Williams and Thomas, Demons and another man, 20-year-old Cortlen Henry, used a Jeep to create the illusion of a drive-by attack. Henry is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Demons' attorney told press in October that his client was devastated over the loss of Williams and Thomas, both of whom were also aspiring rappers. They had reportedly been close since childhood.

"Those were his best friends," attorney Bradford Cohen said.

Demons remains in jail without bond.

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