BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KILLING LA- BASED RAPPER AVANTI FROWNER IN ROBBERY IN CROTONA

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Murder

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for first-degree Murder in the fatal shooting of an LA-based rapper in town for a performance in 2022. 

District Attorney Clark said, “The victim, Avanti Frowner, known as “Vontae,” was in New York and needed medication at a pharmacy. As he left the pharmacy, he and his friend were robbed of jewelry, and then the defendant forced Frowner back into the store at gunpoint and fired a dozen times, killing him. He callously murdered Frowner and put everyone in the pharmacy and on the street at risk.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Isiah Garrett, 27, of 1721 Grand Avenue, was sentenced today to 20 years to life in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Alvin Yearwood. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Murder on March 3, 2026. Co-defendant Nayshon White, 28, pleaded guilty today to first-degree Manslaughter and will be sentenced on May 29, 2026 to 20 years in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Guy Mitchell. Two other codefendants’ cases are pending.

According to the investigation, on June 9, 2022, at approximately 1:40 p.m. outside the Amazing Pharmacy on East Tremont Avenue in Crotona, the defendant approached Avanti Frowner, 27, a Los Angeles based drill rapper, who was with is friend. The defendant and his coconspirators robbed them. During the robbery, Garrett forced Frowner into the pharmacy at gunpoint, and along with his co-conspirators severely beat him while he was on the floor. The defendant then shot him a dozen times in the torso. The victim was transported to the hospital where he died.

The defendant and two of his co-conspirators fled to Warrenton, GA, where they were arrested on June 22, 2022.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Miguel Alvarez of the 48th Precinct Squad, and NYPD Detective Patrick Sullivan of the Bronx Homicide Task Force, and Warrenton, GA, Chief of Police Ron Sellers for their work in the investigation.