Melvin Vernell III, known to the world as Lil Phat, was on the cusp of true stardom. At just 19 years old, he had already carved out a significant space in the Southern rap scene, specifically within the Trill Entertainment camp alongside Boosie Badazz and Webbie. Then, on a humid June afternoon in 2012, everything stopped. He was sitting in a white Audi A7 outside Northside Hospital in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He was waiting for his daughter to be born. Instead of a new beginning, it was a brutal end. He was shot multiple times in what police would later describe as a cold, calculated "hit."
The question of who killed Lil Phat isn't answered by a single name. It wasn't a simple street robbery or a random act of violence. It was a tangled web involving a stolen luxury car, a Russian mob associate, a former basketball star, and a GPS tracking device that turned a high-end vehicle into a mobile target.
The Day of the Shooting and the Immediate Aftermath
June 7, 2012. That’s the date etched into the minds of Baton Rouge rap fans. Lil Phat was in the parking lot of the Northside Hospital Women's Center. It’s a place associated with life, which made the violence that much more jarring. Witnesses reported seeing two men in dark clothing flee the scene.
Sandy Springs police were initially baffled. Why would a rising star from Louisiana be targeted in a quiet hospital parking lot in suburban Atlanta? The investigation eventually peeled back layers of a bizarre dispute over a stolen BMW. This wasn't just rap beef. It was business gone wrong.
Phat was shot at short range. The killers didn't miss. By the time he was rushed into the very hospital he was parked in front of, it was too late. He was pronounced dead, leaving behind a grieving family and a rap career that many felt was headed for the mainstream.
The Unlikely Cast of Characters Behind the Crime
When the indictments finally came down, the names involved sounded like something out of a crime thriller. We weren't just looking at local gang members. The prosecution eventually charged four men:
- Decensae White: A former standout basketball player at San Francisco State.
- Mani Chulpayev: A Russian immigrant and former FBI informant with ties to a luxury car rental business.
- Gary "Dead End" Bradford: An alleged gang member from Alabama.
- Deandre Washington: The man identified as the shooter.
The motive? A 10-pound bag of marijuana and a stolen BMW.
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Basically, Lil Phat had purchased or leased a car from Mani Chulpayev. There was a dispute regarding the transaction. White and Chulpayev allegedly felt that Phat had "wronged" them or stolen from them. They used the GPS tracking system installed in the car to find exactly where Phat was.
Think about that for a second. In 2012, using GPS to hunt someone down was high-tech stalking. They didn't have to search the streets. They just pulled up a map.
The Trial and the Convictions
The legal proceedings were long. They were messy. Because Chulpayev had been a federal informant, there was a lot of finger-pointing about who was protected and who wasn't.
In 2014, the case finally saw its major resolutions. Deandre Washington was convicted of felony murder and several other charges. Prosecutors argued he was the one who pulled the trigger. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Gary Bradford was also found guilty of participating in the conspiracy. He received a 25-year sentence.
Decensae White, the basketball player, ended up being a star witness for the state. He admitted his involvement in the plot and testified against the others. Because of his cooperation, he received a significantly lighter sentence—essentially getting credit for time served and probation—which remains a point of contention for many of Phat's fans and family. They saw it as a betrayal of justice.
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Why the Russian Connection Mattered
The involvement of Mani Chulpayev is what makes the who killed Lil Phat story so distinct from other tragic rapper deaths. Chulpayev ran a business that catered to celebrities and rappers, providing them with high-end cars. But underneath the flashy exterior was a layer of criminal activity.
At the time of the murder, Chulpayev was reportedly working with the FBI as an informant on other cases. This led to massive delays and complications in the murder investigation. Sandy Springs detectives complained that the feds were "protecting" their asset.
Eventually, the murder charges against Chulpayev were dropped in exchange for his testimony and a plea deal on lesser charges related to the car business. He has always maintained he didn't want Phat dead—he just wanted his property back. But by providing the GPS coordinates to the men who did pull the trigger, the prosecution argued he was the "facilitator."
The Lasting Impact on the Atlanta and Louisiana Rap Scenes
Lil Phat's death changed things. It was a wake-up call about the dangers of mixing street business with high-level entertainment. Phat was known for his "realness," a trait highly valued in the Trill Ent. circle. But that realness meant he dealt with people who operated outside the law.
His music, particularly tracks like "Countin' Money" and his appearances on Webbie’s "Savage Life" albums, became bittersweet. They represent a period of Southern rap that was raw and unfiltered.
Even years later, his name is frequently dropped in lyrics by artists like Boosie and Kevin Gates. They don't just mourn him; they talk about him as a cautionary tale of how quickly things can turn when you're being tracked—literally—by people you've done business with.
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Misconceptions About the Case
People often think this was a random drive-by. It wasn't.
- Misconception 1: It was a robbery.
- Reality: Nothing of significant value was taken from the scene. It was an execution.
- Misconception 2: It was a rival rap group.
- Reality: While there were tensions in the industry, the killers were motivated by a specific, private business dispute involving a car and drugs.
- Misconception 3: It was just "street stuff."
- Reality: The involvement of a former FBI informant and a college athlete makes this one of the most statistically "weird" murders in hip-hop history.
What We Can Learn from the Lil Phat Case
Honestly, the death of Lil Phat is a lesson in the vulnerability of success. He had the money to buy an Audi A7 and hang out in Sandy Springs, but he was still tethered to old-school disputes.
The use of the GPS tracker is the most chilling part. It reminds us that privacy isn't just about data; it's about physical safety. If you're in a dispute with someone who has the technical means to track your location 24/7, you're never truly safe.
If you're following this case or looking back on the history of 2010s Southern rap, it's worth digging into the court transcripts of Decensae White. His testimony provides the clearest, albeit most uncomfortable, look into how a simple disagreement over a car turned into a murder plot at a hospital.
To honor Phat's legacy, many fans continue to support his estate's releases and keep his music in rotation. The best way to understand the loss is to listen to the energy he brought to the booth. He was a teenager with the voice of a man who had seen too much.
Actionable Insights for True Crime and Rap Fans:
- Verify the Paper Trail: If you're researching this case, look into the specific ties between Mani Chulpayev and federal agencies; it explains why the case took years to go to trial.
- Support Legacy Projects: Check out the posthumous releases approved by the Vernell family to ensure support goes to his children.
- Study the Legal Precedent: The Lil Phat case is often cited in discussions about how "cooperating witnesses" (like Decensae White) can drastically change the outcome of a high-profile murder trial.
- Listen to the Discography: Start with Life of a Phat Boy to understand the talent that was lost. It provides context to the "star power" everyone talked about at the time of his passing.
The story of who killed Lil Phat is ultimately a story of a system that failed to protect a young man, a group of men who chose violence over mediation, and a family that had to celebrate a birth and a funeral in the same week. It remains a somber chapter in the history of Atlanta and Baton Rouge.