Hip Hop

Rapper Chucky Trill Killer Sentenced To Life In Prison

Chucky Trill's convicted killer, James Thomas, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

Chucky Trill
Chucky Trill

A man convicted for killing rapper Chucky Trill was sentenced to life in prison in Georgia.

Urban Islandz in March 2021 that Houston rapper Chucky Trill, whose real name is Corey Detiege, was shot and killed in an interstate highway shooting in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Trill and some friends had just left a nightclub in Gwinnett County when a man prosecutors identified as James Thomas opened fire on the SUV the rapper was driving.

Trill was hit several times by bullets and passed away from his injuries. No one else in the rented SUV was injured, but they were left shaken.

Thomas was arrested a short time after the incident and charged with malice murder. Chucky Trill’s wife told police officers that Thomas held a grudge against the rapper for almost a year following a drug deal that went left in July 2020. Investigators say they found threatening text messages in Thomas’ phone and were able to prove that the device was in the vicinity of the shooting at the time.

James Thomas
James Thomas mugshot / Gwinnett County Sheriff

According to WSBTV, Thomas’ lawyer argued that someone else was using his vehicle at the time of the shooting. The jury ended up finding him guilty of malice murder. A Gwinnett County judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole and an additional 105 years to be served consecutively.

In the aftermath of Chucky Trill’s death, Houston legend Bun B paid tribute to him, calling him an upstanding family man.

“This was a good man. Humble. Hard working. Loyal. Determined. Focused. And he had the talent,” Bun B said in a tribute on Instagram. “Queen saw him and told @boneafied ‘That boy is good. If he don’t have a manager you should do it.’ And he did, putting everything he had in it. We are heartbroken this morning and send our deepest condolences to D, Bone and all of his family, friends and supporters. Buy or stream his music and let’s keep his memory alive. #RIPChuckyTrill.”