Beyoncé’s 34-year-old rapper cousin fatally shot in his apartment

Martell DeRouen was a Houston, Texas, rapper related to the singer

It has now been confirmed that a Texas rapper – identified in local media as a family member of singer Beyoncé – was found fatally shot in his apartment this week.

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According to the San Antonio Express-News, Tuesday, authorities discovered the body of Martell DeRouen while conducting a welfare check. The request for a police checkup on Derouen, who performed under the name Kardone, was made by an unnamed person who hadn’t heard from him for several days.

Police have now issued a warrant for the arrest of Sasha Skare, who was confirmed as a murder suspect, according to local TV station KSAT. It is worth noting that this is not the 21-year-old’s first run-in with the law. Back in 2019, she was also charged with an assault linked to the shooting death of her boyfriend.

The San Antonio-based musician was widely known in his area as Beyoncé’s cousin through her maternal grandmother Agnéz Deréon, who Tina Knowles’ fashion line House of Deréon was named after. His Spotify bio reads, “in the last few years, he’s changed that narrative with his own musical pursuits.”

“That’s not even something he would even mention to people,” Brian Mitchell, who owns Fyngermade Studio, told the local news outlet. “We’d just have to put in his bios because it’s just, it’s worthy to put it in there, but he doesn’t like stuff like that. He was just a real subtle dude, quiet.”

Skare, who had been out on bond since January 2020, was also involved in the San Antonio music scene and last April released a single produced by Kardone.

“There is no way to replace him but please help us find this girl,” Derouen’s wife, Joia, wrote in a statement. “She is dangerous and I do believe she will kill again. If you see her please contact the police.”

“He didn’t deserve this,” the distraught widow added, before asking for privacy while she tried “to digest this senseless act.”

Sasha Skare
Sasha Skare

Fans of the deceased MC tracked down an Instagram account allegedly operated by Skare and pleaded with her to turn herself in to the authorities.

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While the manhunt continues, Mitchell joins the chorus of people questioning why anyone would murder such a gentle soul, explaining, ”It’s like hurting a butterfly.”

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