One of Young Dolph’s Killers Admitted to Shooting Him and Named the Other as His Accomplice
Young Dolph's alleged beef with a record label is believed to have sparked a hit on him.
Published Aug. 21 2025, 4:07 p.m. ET
The death of 36-year-old rapper Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., may have happened years ago (2021), but the memory of him and his tragic passing continues to live on. Whether it’s through his own music or the tracks of rappers like Moneybagg Yo and Pooh Shiesty, whose styles strongly echo the late Memphis-based rapper, Young Dolph remains the epitome of gone but not forgotten.
His name resurfaced in August 2025 when Hernandez Govan was released from police custody after being tied to Dolph’s murder. But here’s the twist — Govan wasn’t even at the scene of the crime. So, who really killed Young Dolph, and how is Hernandez Govan connected to the rapper’s murder?
Who killed Young Dolph? It was actually two people.
The two men responsible for killing Young Dolph are Cornelius Smith Jr. and Justin Johnson. They carried out the shooting that left the rapper struck 20 times outside Makeda’s Homemade Cookies, his favorite bakery in Memphis, per AP News. At the time, he was going around his hometown handing out Thanksgiving turkeys to the community.
Smith and Johnson pulled up in a white Mercedes-Benz, got out, and opened fire. Smith later admitted to being one of the shooters and initially agreed to testify against Johnson, naming him as the second gunman.
On Sept. 26, 2024, Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. His sentence includes life in prison plus an additional 35 years, according to Action News 5. Smith, meanwhile, is also facing a first-degree murder charge.
The other person tied to Young Dolph’s murder is Hernandez Govan, 45, who was accused of orchestrating the shooting. Prosecutors alleged he worked with Smith and Johnson, directing them on where Young Dolph would be and the best time to ambush him. In return, he was allegedly expecting a $10,000 cut. Govan was charged with first-degree murder, and his case went to trial in August 2025 (more on that verdict below).
It’s believed Dolph became a target after turning down a deal with Cocaine Muzik Group (now Collective Music Group) to instead focus on his own label, Paper Route Empire, according to AP News. Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, Yo Gotti’s brother, was reportedly seeking revenge after Dolph allegedly dropped a diss track aimed at him and the label.
During his testimony, Smith claimed that Big Jook had put out a $100,000 hit on Young Dolph and Paper Route Empire artists. Oddly enough, Big Jook himself was shot and killed at a Memphis restaurant in early 2024, though he was never charged in connection with Young Dolph’s death.
Hernandez Govan's verdict was favorable for him, but not for Young Dolph's family.
After three hours of deliberation in mid-August 2025, a jury found Govan not guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, per AP News. The case reportedly had too many holes in the testimonies, and Govan’s lawyer argued that “nothing directly incriminated Govan or tied him to the killings” in the cellphone records investigators combed through. Govan was released on Aug. 21, 2025.