Los Angeles music producer William Edwards III was shot and killed while sitting in his car on Jan. 25, authorities said.
The shooting occurred in broad daylight in the 2600 block of 29th Street in Santa Monica, Calif.
Officers responded to a call of shots fired around 10:25 a.m., the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release.
Edwards, 46, was in grave condition when first responders arrived on the scene. Paramedics transported him to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
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Police later identified the suspect as Kayla Denise Mackey, 27, and said she is “currently experiencing homelessness.”
The female suspect fled the scene, but witnesses gave responding officers a description and pointed out “her general direction of travel,” police said.
Detectives with the SMPD located Mackey in nearby west Los Angeles and she was taken into custody the next morning, police said.
The motive for the crime is still being investigated.
Local news station Fox 11, which was among the first outlets to report on the shooting, spoke to witnesses at the scene. One woman said Edwards was sitting in his car with headphones on when he was shot.
A second woman said she’s seen “more and more issues” with crime in the affluent beach community in recent years.
According to his LinkedIn page, Edwards is known in music circles as “Rogue.Black.” He produced songs for artists including Travis Scott, and rappers Lil Cobaine and OG Maco.
Lil Cobaine wrote a heartfelt tribute to Edwards on Instagram Saturday, and said they were like family.
“To say we were friends would put a damper on the brotherhood we’ve built and the moments and memories we’ve accumulated over the 9 years that we’ve been family,” the rapper shared. “You spent your last dollar on me multiple times. I’ll miss our 3am McDonald’s trips and DoorDash feasts.”
Lil Cobaine also posted a link to a GoFundMe page set up to assist the late producer’s two young children.
Read the Instagram post below.
