Three men now in custody in connection to Young Dolph's death

Two men wanted by law enforcement for their suspected involvement in the shooting death of rapper Young Dolph are now in police custody. The second suspect was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder, authorities said. 

One of the suspects, Justin Johnson, wanted for the killing of Young Dolph was located in Indiana on Tuesday, U.S. Marshals announced.

Johnson, now 23, was traveling on a state highway when he was stopped and arrested by authorities from the U.S. Marshals office, U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller said. Johnson is being held on a federal probation violation and appeared before a federal magistrate in Indiana on Wednesday, Miller said. The original charge was for a weapon offense.

Authorities had issued an arrest warrant for him on first-degree murder and other charges. He will be extradited to Memphis, Tennessee, Miller said.

A passenger in the car, Shondale Barnett, 27, was also arrested and charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Tennessee, Miller said.

Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was gunned down in a daylight ambush at a popular cookie shop in Memphis on Nov. 17.

Background:Rapper Young Dolph, 36, fatally shot at Memphis bakery, authorities say

Johnson has a criminal history, having previously been held in juvenile custody after he was tried at age 17 on charges of aggravated rape and aggravated robbery, Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich told a news conference. He also served time for shooting three people at a bowling alley and had been arrested on state drug and weapons charges, Weirich said.

Last week, the U.S. Marshals Service, in conjunction with Memphis police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, announced Johnson as a person of interest in the slaying of Young Dolph. 

Police offered up a $15,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. 

More:Suspect identified in slaying of rapper Young Dolph, police offers $15K reward

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Moments following the announcement of Johnson's arrest Tuesday, it was announced that Cornelius Smith, 32, had been indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder, according to Weirich's office.

Smith was arrested Dec. 9 in Southaven, Mississippi, on an auto-theft warrant stemming from the white Mercedes seen in surveillance footage from Nov. 17. The vehicle was recovered Nov. 20 after an anonymous tipster spotted the car and alerted authorities.

Smith was extradited to Shelby County from a DeSoto County correctional facility Tuesday. He is being held without bond at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Complex (201 Poplar). 

In addition to first-degree murder, Smith was indicted on counts of attempted first-degree murder, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony and theft of property over $10,000. During the shooting, Young Dolph's brother was present with him, according to the DA's office, and considered the victim of the attempted first-degree murder charge.

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Smith also has a criminal history, having previously served three years for attempted robbery and aggravated assault, Weirich said.

Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said Wednesday that she could not provide details on evidence or provide a theory about a motive in the shooting: “We're just not ready to put that out there right now,” she said.

More:Memphis renames street in Young Dolph's honor, weeks after rapper's death

Known for his depictions of tough street life and his independent approach to the music business, Young Dolph was admired for charitable works in Memphis. He organized Thanksgiving food giveaways, donated thousands of dollars to high schools, and paid rent and covered funeral costs for people in the Castalia Heights neighborhood where he was raised.

Young Dolph had survived previous shootings. He was shot multiple times in September 2017 after a fight outside a Los Angeles hotel. In February of that year, his SUV was shot at in Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 100 times, which became the inspiration for his song “100 Shots.” He said he survived because he had bulletproof panels in his vehicle.

City officials and community activists pointed to the killing as a symbol of the dangers of gun violence in Memphis, where more than 300 homicides were reported last year.

Authorities said Wednesday they received more than 500 tips from people in Indianapolis, Houston, Dallas and the state of Virginia. “It’s a major case,” Miller said. “It’s a big deal.”

A private funeral was held for Young Dolph on Nov. 30, and a section of a street in the neighborhood where he grew up was renamed for him Dec. 15. He was honored a day later at a public celebration at FedExForum, the home of the NBA's Memphis Grizzles and the University of Memphis men's basketball team.

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY; The Associated Press