Pop Smoke’s Social Media Posts May Have Led Killers To His Home

Rapper Pop Smoke’s social media posts may have led his killers to the home he was renting, police said after five suspects were busted in connection to the slaying — which stemmed from a home invasion robbery.

Capt. Jonathan Tippet, who oversees the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division, said that three men and two teenage boys likely went to the Hollywood Hills home on Feb. 19 because the rapper’s social media posts indicated he was there.

They stole items from the home, though Tippet said he could not reveal what was taken.

The Los Angeles Times reported in February that the rapper had posted pictures of himself posing by an infinity pool in the home’s backyard, in addition to a photo of the Los Angeles skyline, likely taken from the home’s backyard.

In another post, either the rapper or a member of his entourage posted a photo of a gift bag tagged with the Hollywood Hills address.

Yet another showed him posing by a Range Rover, with the home’s address partly visible in the background.

“It’s our belief that [the home-invasion robbery] was based on some of the social media [posts],” Tippet told The Associated Press. “It’s based on the fact that he was posting his information, [which] may have contributed to him knowing where to find him.”

The three men arrested have been identified as Jaquan Murphy, 21, Corey Walker, 19, and Keandre D. Rodgers, 18, all of Los Angeles.

Walker and Rodgers were arrested on suspicion of murder and Murphy was held on suspicion of attempted murder, according to authorities.

They are being held in lieu of $1 million bail apiece.

The teens, one only 15 and the other 17, were also booked on suspicion of murder.

“We believe that it was a robbery,” Tippet said. “Initially we didn’t really have the evidence, but then we discovered some other evidence that showed this was likely a home invasion gone bad.”

Jaquan Murphy.

Corey Walker.

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