Rooks, 34, was found dead with gunshot wounds to the face and leg outside a home in the Decatur area of Georgia on January 21, 2021. According to court documents, Silento — whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk — had picked up his cousin in a white BMW SUV, and GPS data, along with surveillance footage, placed him at the scene of the shooting.

Authorities revealed that Silento confessed to the crime roughly 10 days after his arrest. Ballistic tests later confirmed that the shell casings at the scene matched a weapon found in his possession.

He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, firearm possession during a felony, and concealing the death of another. A murder charge was dropped as part of the plea deal. In court, family members of the victim expressed disappointment, saying the 30-year sentence was not long enough.

Once a high school student who shot to fame with a global dance craze, Silento’s life spiraled in the years that followed. He spoke publicly in 2019 about his struggles with depression, a difficult upbringing surrounded by mental illness and violence, and the pressure of fame.