MIAMI – Police continue to search for the man accused of shooting and killing a popular Miami rapper.
Craig Mitchell is wanted in the shooting death of Robert Labranche, also known as Bizzle and Chowtime.
Mitchell shot Labranche in the parking lot of his car detailing company at Northwest 54 Street and 7th Court in Oct. 2012, police say.
"It was an argument that escalated into punches being thrown and then the shooting," Miami police detective Jermaine Douglas told Local 10 Crime Specialist John Turchin Tuesday when they revisited where the shooting happened.
Douglas said the argument began when Labranche showed up that night and accused Mitchell, one of his employees, of stealing from his mobile food truck.
"We're talking about hot plates, stoves, some cups, plates, utensils, pots. Nothing real expensive but stuff you can turn around quickly in a pawn shop," said Douglas. "Craig Mitchell pulled a firearm from his waistband and pointed at the victim (Labranche) and fired several shots, striking him. The victim fell. He tried to get up and and he was begging, begging Mitchell, 'Why you trying to kill me? Why are you killing me?' And Mitchell finished him off, executed him in cold blood, and then ran away."
Mitchell has been on the run ever since.
"Mitchell is like a nomad," said Douglas. "[He's] very hard to find because he really doesn't live anywhere. He's from the streets and stays in the streets and not in one place for very long. He has a very large family on both the Haitian side and the African-American side, and he could be at any one of those homes at any given moment and then move on in the next few minutes."
Douglas said Mitchell has no phone, car, or credit cards in his name, making it difficult to track his movements.
Mitchell has an extensive rap sheet that includes battery, kidnapping, selling cocaine, and grand theft. He's charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Labranche.
If you have any information on the case, call the Miami Police Department at 305-603-6640 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).