Police are investigating a fatal shooting at a northern Texas car wash on Monday that left rapper G$ Lil Ronnie, 30, and his 5-year-old daughter dead after two men opened fire on them.
The incident happened just before 11 a.m. at Slappy’s Express Car Wash in Forest Hill, about 30 miles west of Dallas. Forest Hill Police tried to save Lil Ronnie and his daughter, but they were pronounced dead at the scene, USA Today and CBS News reported.
Police identify one of the shooting suspects
Police said the two suspects were Black men who exited a four-door Kia and approached the rapper and his daughter at their vehicle. The gunmen reportedly opened fire and fled the area, according to USA Today and the Forest Hill Police Department.
A suspect has been identified, and a warrant has been issued for capital murder, police said. However, according to CBS News, they have decided not to release the suspect’s names since it remains an ongoing investigation.
BREAKING NEWS: I am at the Slappy Car Wash in Forest Hill where Chief David Hernandez & his officers are investigating after multiple 911 calls about gunfire. We are awaiting more details from FHPD. Medstar & FWFD also responded to the scene. @wfaa @ForestHillPD pic.twitter.com/SuekwxIwav
— Scoop Jefferson (@scoopjefferson) March 3, 2025
‘He was a family man’
The rapper’s aunt, Stella Houston, one of the family members at the scene, confirmed the victims’ identities as her nephew, Chuckie Smith, and his daughter with Fox 4 and questioned who would harm them.
“He was a rapper. He didn’t bother nobody. He didn’t target nobody. He was a family man, and he was going around rapping, okay. Why would you target him?” Houston told the outlet.
Houston also said the young girl had just celebrated her birthday on Sunday, per Fox 4.
“Cleaning the car out, and somebody came through shooting and killed him and the baby,” the grieving aunt said. “And a baby. His baby. A baby!”
Becky Johnson, a resident who lived across the street from the car wash, described hearing multiple rounds of gunshots from inside her home.
“Six the first time, and then it was half a second, and I heard six more. Then a second later, I heard three,” Johnson recalled to Fox 4.
Who was G$ Lil Ronnie?
According to HotNewHipHop, Lil Ronnie was a Texas rapper beloved by his fans. He released several tracks, including “Hoodfame Killumanti,” “Wops,“ and “Crash Pt. 4.“ His last album, Literally, came out in 2023, while his latest single, “Chase,“ was released in 2024.
Known for infusing his real-life experiences into his music, the rapper was also a devoted father who cherished time with his daughter. One of their last outings shared on social media came on Valentine’s Day, which he marked with an Instagram photo.
“My BabyGirl Couldn’t Stand The Fact Her Friend Was Sad 😔 This Morning Her Daddy Couldn’t Make it to Donuts With Daddy This Morning So Yu Know We Let Her kno it’s Ok 2 Join us & She Can Snap it Up & That Changed her Whole Mood ❤️💙 My Lil Valentines Literally 💘“ he wrote.
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