By Amber Schultz and Jessica McSweeney
The man who allegedly stabbed a gifted rugby league player to death in Sydney’s inner west has been identified as a 31-year-old rapper who created music from jail.
Jacob Tammer-Spence has been charged with one count of murder over the stabbing of Sitaleki Filihiahekava in front his family and diners on a bustling Marrickville Road on Monday night.
Rapper Snoee Badman, also known as Jacob Tammer-Spence, has been charged with murder.Credit: Youtube
Tammer-Spence was previously jailed for 10 years, from the age of 18, for different offences.
While in prison he began rapping under the name Snoee Badman and uploading music videos to TikTok after being encouraged by his cellmate.
“The music scene helped me so much, it kept me occupied … at least I was doing something positive,” he said on a podcast.
He later recorded a mixtape titled Three Bad Men from his cell by sending voice recordings to producers, who would overlay it to a beat and create cartoons for music videos.
While in prison for other offences, Tammer-Spence began rapping under the name Snoee Badman.
Tammer-Spence was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in Concord after a two-day manhunt.
His legal team did not apply for bail and it was formally refused in Burwood Local Court on Thursday morning.
Tammer-Spence’s lawyer, former NSW Australian of the Year Deng Adut, acknowledged the charges were significant but dismissed them.
“Forget about the charges,” Adut told media outside court.
Sitaleki Filihiahekava was stabbed on Marrickville Road in front of family and diners.
Filihiahekava was stabbed outside Mexican fast-food restaurant Guzman y Gomez around 7.40pm on Monday, allegedly following a brief encounter with Tammer-Spence.
Police and ambulance paramedics performed CPR, but Filihiahekava could not be revived.
At the time police said the two were known to each other: “We believe at this point that the two people met, and the attack was somewhat targeted, it was not random in nature,” Acting Superintendent Ben Kennis said.
Filihiahekava wore the number 10 for the Mascot Juniors Rugby League and was remembered by club members as a happy and friendly man.
Flowers and candles were left on Marrickville Road following a vigil for Filihiahekava.
Strike Force Nogales was launched to investigate the circumstances around his death.
Tammer-Spence will next face court on November 8.
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