Rapper Chris King Killed in Nashville: Four Suspects and Charges

Rapper Chris King was killed in Nashville on April 20, 2024, shot during an attempted robbery in a Midtown alleyway after performing at a local music festival the night before. Four men have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in his death. The final arrest came on May 5, 2026, more than two years after the shooting, and Nashville police have said no additional suspects are being sought.¹

What Happened That Night

Around 2:30 a.m. on April 20, 2024, King, born Christopher Cheeks, was with a group of friends in an alleyway between Hayes Street and Church Street in Midtown Nashville, near a recording studio on Hayes Street. Three men approached the group and, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, interacted with them “cordially for some time” before trying to rob them.¹ King’s father, Christopher Cheeks Sr., later said the suspects were after a gold chain.²

When the robbery escalated, gunfire broke out. A 29-year-old friend of King’s was shot and found on Church Street with gunshot injuries. King ran and was found in the parking garage of the nearby Hayes Street Hotel. Both men were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The friend was expected to recover. King, 32, died from his injuries.¹ He had performed at Nashville Cannafest the previous evening.³

The Four Suspects and the Charges

Each of the four men charged in King’s killing faces first-degree murder. The arrests spanned Nashville, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, and took just over two years to complete.

Adrian Cameron Jr.

Cameron, then 19, was the first suspect publicly identified. At the time of the shooting, he was already out on bond for the September 2021 murder of Josh Evans, a 50-year-old man from Lebanon, Tennessee, and was wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor.⁴ Investigators say he cut the monitor off shortly after King was shot and fled to California. In May 2025, a joint effort by MNPD, the FBI, and an LAPD task force located him outside a Los Angeles home. He was arrested and extradited to Nashville.⁵

Amir Carroll

Carroll, 19, was arrested on the night of February 26, 2025, on East Thompson Lane in Nashville. Police identified him as a known associate of Cameron and said he was with Cameron during the shooting. He faces more than ten charges, including first-degree premeditated murder, especially aggravated robbery, and felony weapon possession, and was held on a $250,000 bond.⁶

Trayvon Palmer

Palmer, 33, was arrested by deputy U.S. Marshals on February 17, 2026, at an apartment complex on Tropicana Boulevard in Las Vegas. He had been wanted on a multi-count indictment for first-degree murder, robbery, and gun offenses, and was held at the Clark County Detention Center pending extradition to Nashville.⁷

Jason Valentine

Valentine, 21, was the fourth and final suspect. On May 5, 2026, the MNPD TITANS Unit stopped his vehicle on Glenrose Avenue in Nashville and took him into custody on an existing indictment for first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and gun offenses. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.⁸ Police described the arrest as “fourth and final” in the case.¹

Where the Case Stands

As of May 2026, all four defendants remain jailed in Nashville on first-degree murder charges. No trial dates have been publicly announced.⁹

Who Chris King Was

King was a 32-year-old rapper from California who had been performing since the age of nine, according to his father.¹⁰ He founded his own label, Snotty Nose Records, and released a long catalog of mixtapes and collaborative projects.¹¹ Within the industry he was known as a connector. Trippie Redd, who called King his “best friend” and “twin,” credited him with introductions to 10K Projects CEO Elliot Grainge and Create Music Group founding partner Milo Stokes that helped launch his career.¹² King had also lived with Justin Bieber as a housemate for over a year, nearly a decade before his death.¹³

After the shooting, Bieber wrote on Instagram: “Love you bro. This one hurts. Please keep his family in your prayers. See you in paradise brother.”¹⁴ Machine Gun Kelly wrote that “chris was rare.”¹³ His father, who called King his only child, told reporters, “He was a young, vibrant kid that just lit up the room when he walked in.”²

1
WKRN. Metro Police Arrest Fourth Suspect in Rapper’s 2024 Murder
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NewsChannel 5. California Rapper Chris King Fatally Shot in Nashville
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WPXI. Rapper Chris King, 32, Killed in Nashville Shooting
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Nashville.gov. Murder Fugitive Adrian Cameron Jr. Arrested in Los Angeles
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Complex. Chris King Suspected Murderer Arrested in Los Angeles
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WSMV. Teen Arrested, Most Wanted Suspect Remains at Large in Shooting Death of Rapper in Nashville
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WKRN. Third Suspect Arrested in Las Vegas in Connection With California Rapper’s 2024 Murder
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Nashville.gov. Fourth Arrest in 2024 Murder of Christopher Cheeks
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The Tennessean. 4th Arrest in Nashville Shooting Death of Rapper Chris King
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WSMV. Dad Mourning After Shooting Death of Son, Rapper Chris King
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Billboard. Chris King Dead; Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, Machine Gun Kelly React
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Billboard (Canada). Rapper Chris King Fatally Shot in Nashville, Mourned by Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, Machine Gun Kelly, and More
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People. Justin Bieber Pays Tribute to Rapper Chris King After Fatal Shooting
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USA Today. Chris King Death Tributes