Janoris Jenkins revealed he hasn’t spoken to his brother since the ex-convict was charged with murdering a rap producer last month at the NFL star’s home in New Jersey
Janoris Jenkins revealed he hasn’t spoken to his brother since the ex-convict was charged with murdering a rap producer last month.
Janoris is still reeling from the shocking murder of his friend Roosevelt Rene, 25, a music producer under the name Trypps Beats, whose body was found in the Giants cornerback’s basement in New Jersey on June 26.
The football star’s brother was arrested for Rene’s murder and charged with aggravated manslaughter.
Janoris made his first public comments on the crime Sunday at the Giants’ training facility, expressing his focus on the game rather than the murder.
‘It’s shocking, but I still gotta come and play football,’ he said.
‘Right now my main focus is coming out and getting better every day for my teammates and stay focused.’
Janoris added that he has not been in touch with William since the arrest.
‘I haven’t talked to him, to be honest,’ he said.
‘But I will to see where his head’s at. As far as that, I’m just leaving that off the field.’
![William Jenkins](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAF0100000578-0-image-m-32_1532893999510.jpg)
![Roosevelt Rene](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAEF800000578-0-image-a-33_1532894009542.jpg)
William Jenkins (left) was arrested last month in the death of Roosevelt Rene (right). He was arrested for parole violation in Ontario County, NY, just nine hours before the body was discovered in the basement of Janoris’ home in Fair Lawn, New Jersey
![Janoris made his first public comments on the crime Sunday at the Giants' training facility, expressing his focus on the game rather than the murder. The cornerback is pictured Thursday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAF0900000578-0-image-a-36_1532894043118.jpg)
Janoris made his first public comments on the crime Sunday at the Giants’ training facility, expressing his focus on the game rather than the murder. The cornerback is pictured Thursday
Janoris considered Rene to be a close friend, and the two were working producing music together before the 25-year-old’s death.
‘It’s difficult, but at the end of the day, you gotta be a pro,’ Jenkins said Sunday. ‘Things gonna happen in life, some things you can’t control, and it’s just one of those situations.’
William was arrested for parole violation in Ontario County, New York, just nine hours before Rene’s body was discovered 300 miles away in the basement of his brother’s home in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
According to a complaint, the pair had been fighting before the murder occurred, and that William showed extreme indifference to human life and recklessly caused Rene’s death.
William has a criminal record in Florida dating back to the early 2000s that includes convictions for aggravated battery, grand theft, and multiple counts of burglary.
Rene’s sister Arabruny Lindor also spoke to DailyMail.com shortly after the murder, saying that her sibling had been arguing with Janoris’ brother in the days before his death.
Authorities said Rene was discovered by a house worker at the residence located on 14 Van Saun Place in Fair Lawn on June 26.
Police are treating the investigation as a homicide.
![Janoris considered Rene, above, to be a close personal friend](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAE8000000578-0-image-m-42_1532894306443.jpg)
![The two were working producing music together before the 25-year-old's death on June 26](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAE6F00000578-0-image-a-43_1532894315081.jpg)
Janoris considered Rene, left and right, to be a close personal friend. The two were working producing music together before the 25-year-old’s death on June 26
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that detectives are investigating ‘a possible strangulation/suffocation as the cause of death,’ citing law enforcement sources.
In a phone interview with DailyMail.com, Lindor said her brother had moved into the home of his friend, Janoris, to work on his music, and that the football player’s brother was also staying there.
Janoris also dabbles in music in his free time, performing under the stage name Rabbit.
Together, Janoris and Rene collaborated on a hip hop track titled ‘Hood Jumpin,’ which was released in March.
![Rene's sister Arabruny Lindor, above, said she last spoke to her brother via FaceTime days before his death, and that she told him he should get out of Janoris' house because of William's hostility](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/07/29/20/4EADAE9100000578-0-Lindor_left_said_she_last_spoke_to_her_brother_right_via_FaceTim-a-41_1532894162162.jpg)
Rene’s sister Arabruny Lindor, above, said she last spoke to her brother via FaceTime days before his death, and that she told him he should get out of Janoris’ house because of William’s hostility
A photo that was posted on the producer’s Instagram page around that time shows Rene sitting next to the cornerback.
‘Friday I called him and he had locked himself in the bathroom and said he had been having trouble with Janoris’ brother and that they had been arguing,’ Lindor claimed. ‘He was jealous of Janoris’ friendship with my brother.’
The woman said she instructed her brother to speak to her in Creole, in case William was listening to their conversation from the other side of the door.
‘I FaceTimed him Monday and he looked worried,’ Lindor said of her brother. ‘I told him to get out of there. He had a real stress on. That was the last time I spoke to my brother.’
Lindor wrote in the description of a GoFundMe campaign that her brother was on the verge of a major career breakthrough at the time of his death.
Rene produced music for a variety of stars.
The Giants cornerback was not in New Jersey at the time of Rene’s death and has been staying in his native Florida.
ESPN reported, citing unnamed sources, that the football star has been advised by attorneys to remain in Florida.
![Police investigate the Fair Lawn home where Rene was found dead in the basement](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/27/04/4DAB0FF600000578-5889523-image-a-22_1530068934331.jpg)
Police investigate the Fair Lawn home where Rene was found dead in the basement
Lindor said as the only boy among seven children, Rene was universally loved and was her best friend.
‘He never had a problem with anyone,’ she told DailyMail.com. ‘Everyone loved him.’
Lindor wrote on the GoFundMe page that Rene was very smart and confident, also had a smile on his face and his greatest passion in life was creating beats.
The sister said the young music producer wanted to help their family and get their mother a new car.
The football star purchased the Fair Lawn home for $500,000 in 2016.
The Giants made Janoris one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks in 2016, when they signed him to a five-year, $62.5million contract, with $28million in guarantees.
In 2017, Jenkins season was ended prematurely by an ankle injury.
Coming off a playoff berth and an 11-5 record in 2016, the Giants sank to 3-13 in 2017 as head coach Ben McAdoo was fired and ultimately replaced with Pat Shurmur.
Janoris will be answering to new defensive coordinator James Bettcher this season when he returns to the field.
The 29-year-old is entering his third year with the Giants. The Pahokee, Florida, native played for Florida in college before finishing his career at North Alabama.