The sentencing of Alicia Andrews — the Jacksonville woman convicted in connection with the 2023 killing of rapper Julio Foolio — has been put on hold after her legal team asked an appeals court to remove the judge overseeing her case.
Andrews, 22, was found guilty on Oct. 31 of manslaughter by culpable negligence for her role in the ambush that left Foolio (born Charles Jones II) dead in a Tampa hotel parking lot. She had been scheduled to appear for sentencing on Dec. 8, where she faced a maximum of 15 years in prison.
But on Dec. 4, Andrews’ attorneys filed a writ of prohibition with Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, arguing that Judge Adrian Soud should be disqualified from further involvement due to alleged bias. While the filing does not publicly detail those concerns, her team also asked the court to pause all proceedings until the issue is resolved.
The appellate court granted the request the following day, issuing a stay that indefinitely postpones sentencing. Judge Soud or the state now has 30 days to respond to the challenge, and Andrews’ team will then have 15 days to reply. No new sentencing date has been announced.
Foolio, 25, was known in Jacksonville’s drill scene for music that frequently referenced ongoing tensions between ATK/6 Block and rival group KTA. He had survived multiple shootings before his death, often addressing the incidents on social media.
On June 23, 2023, Foolio was celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa when he was asked to leave an Airbnb because he had exceeded the occupancy limits. He relocated to a Holiday Inn nearby, posting updates to Instagram that investigators say revealed his location.
Around 4:40 a.m., multiple gunmen opened fire on his Dodge Durango in the hotel parking lot, firing more than 100 rounds. Foolio died at the scene; three others in the SUV were injured.
Authorities described the attack as a targeted hit tied to the ongoing feud between Jacksonville crews. Surveillance video showed the shooters fleeing in a black Acura.
Five suspects — all allegedly linked to KTA — were arrested in the weeks after the shooting: Andrews; her boyfriend, Isaiah Chance Jr.; and alleged gunmen Sean Gathright, Rashad Murphy, and Davion Murphy. Police say the group drove from Jacksonville to Tampa specifically to carry out the ambush.
Prosecutors accused Andrews of acting as a “spotter,” tracking Foolio’s movements and communicating them to the shooters. During her October 2025 trial, the state presented text messages, location data, and eyewitness testimony to support that claim. The defense argued she lacked intent to kill and did not participate in the shooting itself.
The jury acquitted her of first-degree murder and conspiracy but convicted her on the lesser manslaughter charge.
Before the stay was issued, Foolio’s mother, Sandrikas Mays, posted on social media that she was preparing for the upcoming sentencing and hoping for justice after waiting more than two years. The postponement has triggered fresh frustration among fans, some of whom have voiced concerns about the delays on social media platforms.
Others have pointed to the broader cycle of violence linked to Jacksonville’s rap scene, where online taunts and diss tracks have often collided with real-life tensions.
If the appellate court agrees that Judge Soud should be removed, a new judge will be assigned to handle Andrews’ sentencing. If the court rejects the claim, Soud will move forward with sentencing once the stay is lifted.
Trials for the remaining four defendants are expected to begin in 2026, and prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty for the alleged shooters.
Andrews remains in custody while the appeals court reviews the filing.
