Dedrick D Gobert, Who Played Dooky in John Singleton's 'Boyz 'n the Hood,' Died Days before Turning 23

All who know the '90s classic black culture movie "Boyz 'N the Hood" by John Singleton easily recall Dooky, played by Dedrick D. Gobert. Unfortunately, his life was cut short just days before turning 23.

Dedrick D. Gobert was best known for his role as Dooky, the pacifier-sucking young man in the ‘90s film “Boyz ‘N The Hood.” While most of his co-stars went on to have successful careers in the industry, such as Regina King, Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, and Cuba Gooding Jr., he, unfortunately, didn't share the same fate.

In the movie, he starred as a friend of Darrin "Doughboy" Baker, played by Ice Cube. Following their hit movie, he only got to appear in two others before his death, particularly “Poetic Justice” in 1993 and “Higher Learning,” which was released in 1995, a year after his death.

HIS LIFE CUT SHORT

On November 19, 1994, Gobert was shot to death at a pizza parlor parking lot at Mira Loma, California. His death sprung after he argued with others during a drag race.

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between Gobert and members of a gang erupted during the racing activities. Unfortunately, he and a friend, Igancio Hernandez, were fatally shot. His girlfriend, Jenny Hyon, was also involved in the fight and ended up paralyzed from the neck down.

HOW THE SITUATION TRANSPIRED

It turned out, at the race, Hernandez’s car was cut off by an Asian driver, and both men went out of their vehicles to fight. At least ten other Asians surrounded Hernandez, but when the police arrived, everyone drove away.

Gobert, Hernandez, and Hyon then drove to the pizza parlor. There, the same group of Asians approached them, and they started to throw insults at each other.

A GANG-RELATED ARGUMENT

However, Maile Gilleres, a woman who had joined Gobert’s group, managed to make an agreement with the other group about leaving the place to avoid another fight. While everything seemed to be going well, Gobert ended up bumping heads with another group.

After driving up and down the road for several minutes, Gobert approached a different group, part of the Akraho Boyz Crazzys (ABC) gang, and identified himself as part of the Crips gang before throwing insults at them.

A TRAGIC END

The group laughed off Gobert’s words because they thought he was drunk, and they outnumbered him. Then, Gobert allegedly pulled up his shirt, presumably to reach for a gun. The ABC members tackled Gobert to the ground, kicking him and stomping on him in “self-defense.”

At this point, Hernandez and Hyon tried to stop the aggression, with Hernadez getting in between his friend’s body and the ABC members. According to witnesses, Sonny Enraca, 22, then shot Hernandez and Gobert.

THE KILLER'S CONFESSION

In his confession, Enraca said he had pulled Hernandez by the hair because he looked familiar. He said he initially wanted to ask where Hernandez was from, but Hernandez put Enraca’s hand away, which he interpreted as an attempt to grab his gun.

He shot Hernadez twice, in the back and head. Gobert, who was still face down on the floor, started to throw insults at Enraca while attempting to move. Enraca also shot him in the back of the head.

HIS MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTINGS

Hyon witnessed everything, and she tried to fight by kicking Enraca. He then said that he fired a shot that he thought went over her head but instead struck her in the neck, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.

Enraca then jumped in a car with two fellow gang members, Roger Boring and Lester Maliwat. In Maliwat's testimony, he revealed Enraca told him he shot the girl because "they deserved it."

HIS JAIL TIME

Police arrested Enraca on December 12, 1994. He was charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances (the circumstances being that the shootings were gang-related) and one count of attempted murder. On May 12, 1999, he was found guilty and sentenced to death.

However, in 2019, he was removed off death row after California Governor Gavin Newsome's executive moratorium in 737 California death sentences cases. He is now still serving time for the murders and the non-fatal shooting instead.

"Boyz 'N the Hood" beat the odds to be created back in the '90s, at a time when gang-related killings were all over Los Angeles streets. Its creator, John Singleton, died at the age of 51 after his family decided to switch off his life support machine after suffering a stroke.