XXXTentacion: Elderly couple face death threats and visit from megafan after being falsely linked to rapper's murder

'We can walk, [but] that’s about it. We’re not going out to try and kill anybody,' says Laurie Bernard

An elderly couple in Florida have been visited by a XXXTentacion fan and inundated with death threats after they were erroneously linked to the rapper’s death on social media.

The 20-year-old rapper, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was shot dead in an apparent attempted robbery in Fort Lauderdale, Miami.

XXXTentacion was leaving a motorbike dealership’s car park in his luxury BMW electric car when he was attacked.

Broward County Sheriff's office said it was investigating the killing by "two armed suspects in an apparent robbery". A statement said "at least one of the suspects fired a gun striking Onfroy" and "both suspects fled in a dark-colour SUV".

But police in Cape Coral, a city on the other side of Florida, have been forced to guard an elderly couple’s home after a 20-year-old man turned up earlier this week posing as a pizza delivery man.

The man, who police identified as Jesse Gonzalez, was arrested after reportedly telling residents he was there to confront the person “who killed his friend.”

Police have said an Instagram post which falsely claims XXXTentacion’s killer lived in Cape Coral was to blame for the threats.

Laurie Bernard, whose home address had been circulating on social media as being that of XXXTentacion’s alleged killer, told local media the threats had left her unnerved but that she did not intend to leave.

“I refuse to be forced out of my house because of people who threaten me. If they were smart enough to get the address, look at our ages - 73 and 76," she told WINK News on Wednesday.

“We can walk, [but] that’s about it. We’re not going out to try and kill anybody".

XXXTentacion, hailed as a future megastar of the rap scene, was pronounced dead on Monday evening at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, the sheriff’s office said.

No arrests have been made in connection with the killing.

XXXTentacion’s musical career was plagued by controversy and he was often labelled one of the most controversial contemporary rappers. He was facing domestic violence charges against his pregnant girlfriend - to which he had pleaded not guilty.

In October 2016, XXXTentacion was arrested and later charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment and witness tampering. He was facing 15 felony charges at the time of his death.

He was sent to a youth detention centre for gun possession charges at the age of 16. In 2016, he was arrested and charged with robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

XXXTentacion, who first found fame via uploading songs to online audio distribution platform SoundCloud, amassed a loyal following due to his emotionally moving lyrics that addressed his suicidal thoughts and experiences with depression. In March, he secured a number one album in the US with his second release ? and had a top 10 hit with "Sad!" in the same month.

In one video on social media, he said: “If worse things come to worse, I f***ing die a tragic death or some s***, and I'm not able to see out my dreams, I at least want to know that the kids perceive my message and were able to make something of themselves.”

He continued later: "I appreciate and love all of you and I believe in you all; do not let your depression make you, do not let your body define your soul, let your soul define your body. Your mind is limitless... you are worth more than you can believe."

Anyone with information is asked to contact BSO homicide detectives Walt Foster or John Curcio at (954) 321-4210, or Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-8477. Tips that lead to an arrest are eligible for a reward of up to $3,000.