Prosecutors decline to charge 2 in shooting death of San Francisco rapper Lil Yase

Dublin police seek suspects in shooting death of San Francisco rapper Lil Yase

A San Francisco rapper, Lil Yase, has been identified as the victim of a homicide early Saturday morning near the East Dublin BART station, Dublin police said.

DUBLIN, Calif. - One day after police announced two arrests in the slaying of San Francisco rapper Lil Yase, prosecutors declined to file charges against the pair.

The Alameda County District Attorney's Office on Thursday declined to bring forth first-degree murder charges against Angel Butler and Jovante Williams, both aged 28.

Butler and Williams were booked into Santa Rita Jail, but will be released. It's unclear why prosecutors dropped the case.

On Wednesday, Dublin police announced arrests in the shooting death of up-and-coming rapper Lil Yase, whose real name was Mark Alexander Jr.

The rapper was shot on November 28, 2020 in the 5100 block of Iron Horse Parkway, about a block north of the East Dublin BART parking structure.

He was transported to a medical center where he died from his injuries.

Officers said a motive remains unknown, but the rapper had a relationship with Butler in the past.

Authorities suspected that Butler and Williams had something to do with the rapper's death. The defendants share a child and lived together at an apartment complex not far from where the killing occurred.