MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A rapper known as “Superstar Pride” has been charged with first-degree murder after a shooting on Wednesday in Panola County.
According to Panola County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 12:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call for service at a house on Highway 35 North where 40-year-old Marcus Wheatley was found dead from a gunshot wound.
During the investigation, investigators say that information was developed that 21-year-old Superstar Pride, whose real name is Cadarrius Pride, was the suspect.
Mary Ann Strong, Wheatley’s grandmother, was present during the time of the shooting and says her grandson was Pride’s barber.
“He was a real soft-hearted person, did whatever he could to help anybody,” Strong said. “He was a really nice person.”
Strong said she saw Pride come into her grandson’s home and chase him out of the house with a gun. “And the young man was shooting at him and he finally shot him down,” she said.
Strong says she went into the field and watched as Pride continued to shoot at her grandson.
“He fell here and he shot about three times after he fell and he walked over to me and he pointed the gun at me and asked if I was going to tell it,” Strong said.
She says she had no idea what Pride meant but that Pride wasn’t finished. “And he came back out here and fired a last shot in his head,” Strong said.
She says Pride left in his red pickup truck, which was found abandoned in Pope, Mississippi.
After a fugitive investigation to locate Pride was put into place, Chief Deputy Reginald Lantern says he was contacted by family members and notified that Pride wanted to surrender.
At 4:47 p.m., Pride surrendered to Deputy Lantern and was transported to the Panola County Detention Center, reports state.
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His father, Jeffery Anderson, says he couldn’t offer any reason for what his son allegedly did. “It’s still something that’s got to the looked into to see what all transpired,” Anderson said. “As of now, it’s just so early.”
But, Strong believes the shooting resulted from Wheatley refusing to take part in one of Pride’s music videos in California.
“He wanted Marcus to follow him and he couldn’t do it,” Strong said. “He couldn’t help him make no more money.”
Pride is charged with First Degree Murder and does not currently have a bond.
Pride is well known for his song that went viral on TikTok, “Painting Pictures“, which has over 27 million views on Youtube.
