The long-delayed double murder retrial of rapper YNW Melly will not take place until January 2027, nearly eight years after his initial arrest. The Broward State Attorney’s Office confirmed the new date to Rolling Stone this week, citing ongoing disputes over which pieces of evidence will be allowed at trial.

The postponement, the second major delay in the retrial, was ordered by Broward County Judge Martin S. Fein roughly a month before jury selection was scheduled to begin. According to reports from Billboard and NBC Miami, both prosecutors and the defense agreed to the extension as they continue to battle over evidentiary rulings.

Melly, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, has been held in custody for more than six years. He faces two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the October 2018 killings of Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr., both members of the same music collective. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Demons’ first trial, held in the summer of 2023, ended in a mistrial after jurors deliberated for two days but failed to reach a unanimous verdict. At the time, prosecutors alleged that Demons conspired with co-defendant Cortlen Henry to murder Williams and Thomas inside a Jeep driven by Henry. Investigators say the victims were shot from inside the vehicle, after which Demons and Henry allegedly staged the scene by firing additional rounds into the Jeep from outside, making it appear the men were killed in a drive-by shooting.

The defense has consistently rejected that narrative, maintaining that Demons had no reason to harm the two men, who were described as his “best friends.” Defense attorneys also stressed that law enforcement never recovered a murder weapon, further undermining the state’s case in their view.

Following the mistrial, a retrial was initially scheduled for October 2023. That proceeding was delayed when disagreements over evidence surfaced, with the defense challenging certain materials the prosecution hoped to present. Those same disputes resurfaced ahead of the planned September 2025 trial date, leading to the newly announced postponement.

In a February 2025 hearing, Judge Fein expressed frustration over the protracted timeline and the challenges in coordinating the trial schedule. “Mr. Demons has now been in custody for 2,202 days, and if one state attorney is not available, maybe one of the other two assigned to this case can stand in, and if all three are not available, maybe one of the 150 state attorneys upstairs might sit in,” he said, according to NBC Miami.

Melly rose to prominence in the late 2010s with viral tracks like “Murder on My Mind” and collaborations with high-profile artists, including Kanye West. His legal troubles have since overshadowed his career, with the case drawing national attention for its combination of celebrity, violent allegations, and the unusual staging of the crime scene alleged by prosecutors.

With the retrial now more than two years away, the case’s resolution remains distant. In the meantime, both sides are expected to continue pretrial litigation over what evidence will be admissible when proceedings finally begin.

If convicted, Demons could face life in prison or execution. Henry, who was arrested in connection with the case, has been charged as an accessory after the fact and is awaiting his own legal proceedings.