Cops are investigating the connection between Pop Smoke's murder and a dead body found in a barrel on the beach in Malibu ... TMZ has learned.
The barrel, containing the naked body of Javonnta Murphy, washed ashore July 31. We've learned Javonnta is the brother of Jaquan Murphy ... one of the 5 people arrested in the wake of Pop Smoke's murder in 2020.
Jaquan was first charged with attempted murder for Pop Smoke's death, but later cleared. He is, however, currently awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in L.A. County.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... L.A. County Sheriff's Department's investigators are currently looking into the possibility Javonnta's murder was a retaliation killing for Pop's murder. Of course, it's not their only theory, but definitely one they're digging into.
TMZ broke the story ... Pop was shot and killed in February 2020 during a robbery in the Hollywood Hills. Pop was not alone in the home, but he was the only one who was shot.