Young Dolph Murder Investigation Adds 2 New 'Persons Of Interest'

Memphis, TN – The investigation into the murder of Young Dolph has added two new names to it.

According to Memphis Police and Fox 13 Memphis, two 26-year-old men, Devin Burns and Joshua Taylor, were named persons of interest in the Memphis rapper’s murder on November 17. The rapper was allegedly slain inside Makeda’s Homemade Cookies by Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith. Johnson and Smith were arrested and charged with Dolph’s murder in January.

Both Smith and Johnson were given ultimatums to find lawyers to defend them, and according to court documents, Smith obtained a lawyer earlier this month and Johnson was appointed one.

BREAKING @MEM_PoliceDept naming 2 men as 'persons of interest' in the killing of rapper Young Dolph! Joshua Taylor (wearing the black tracksuit) and Devin Burns (wearing the tan cardigan sweater) are both WANTED men! Digging for more details! Stay @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/42EZBP8B88

— Jerrita Patterson (@JerritaP_OnTv) February 20, 2022

Burns has active warrants for arrest on two unrelated charges, aggravated assault and theft of property worth between $10,000 and $60,000.

The news regarding additional persons of interest comes more than three months after Dolph’s murder and although Johnson and Smith are scheduled to stand trial soon, new twists and turns seem to arrive in the case daily.

After Johnson and Smith’s arrest, a third man, Shondale Barnett, was arrested on January 11, according to WREG. The man was supposed to be extradited to Memphis in relation to the charges but was released from an Indiana jail ten days after his arrest.

However, officers in Shelby County have no idea where Barnett is. In a press conference on Thursday (February 17), Clay County Sheriff Paul Harden informed the public how Barnett was on the run.

“On January 11, Mr. Shundale Barnett was brought to the Clay County Jail by the Indiana State Police from an arrest on I-70,” Harden explained. “He was booked in the Clay County Jail on an outstanding warrant from Shelby County, Tennessee.

“We contacted Shelby County and held him on their warrant. And we were contacted on January 21 and they told us that they were no longer wanting to come and pick up Mr. Barnett and that we were to release him at that time.”

Barnett was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder as well as criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder and theft of property.