Rap lyrics used to convict South Carolina man of murder at Olive Garden

LEXINGTON, S.C., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Rap lyrics written by a 22-year-old South Carolina man were used to convict him of murdering a man he was buying marijuana from in the parking lot of an Olive Garden in 2011.

Gonzales "Snoop" Wardlaw, 22, met 21-year-old Thomas Hoefer at the Harbison Olive Garden to purchase marijuana from him while Hoefer was at the restaurant for a birthday party.

While the two men were in the parking lot, Wardlaw, apparently unhappy with the pot, shot Hoefer in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun. Wardlaw fled and Hoefer died on the way to the hospital.

The Columbia Police Department found rap lyrics at Wardlaw’s home that included references like “hit ‘em in his chest” and “caught ‘em at da Olive Garden.” After Wardlaw admitted that the lyrics were his, it took the Lexington jury about 50 minutes to find him guilty.

Prior to sentencing, Wardlaw admitted to breaking the law but contended that he acted in self defense and asked for mercy. Hoefer’s family requested that the aspiring rapper receive the maximum penalty and Wardlaw was sentenced to life in prison.

[The State] [WIS TV]