Rayful Edmond, once a towering figure in Washington, D.C.’s drug trade and a central player in the city’s devastating crack epidemic during the 1980s, has passed away while in federal custody.
The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the news on Tuesday but provided no additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death. He was 60 years old.
At the peak of his infamy, Edmond was dubbed the “King of Cocaine” in the nation’s capital, orchestrating a massive drug empire that reportedly controlled nearly a third of the cocaine supply in Washington, D.C.
His operation played a central role in the city’s surge in violent crime, including a dramatic spike in homicides. Despite not being directly tied to the killings, authorities linked his drug network to at least 30 murders, with heavily armed enforcers… some carrying Uzi submachine guns… guarding his territory.
Edmond’s empire was unparalleled, moving an estimated 1,700 pounds of cocaine monthly and raking in millions of dollars weekly. In 1989, at just 24 years old, Edmond was arrested and handed a life sentence for leading one of the largest drug distribution networks in U.S. history.
During his reign, his extravagant lifestyle captivated public attention. He sponsored basketball tournaments in the local community and was often seen at high-profile Las Vegas boxing matches, cementing his notorious reputation.
While the Bureau of Prisons declined to disclose the cause of death, Edmond’s passing marks the end of a life that profoundly shaped Washington, D.C.’s history during one of its most turbulent periods.
His legacy remains a stark reminder of the human cost of the crack epidemic and its far-reaching effects on communities.
