CHICAGO, USA – Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Durk, legally known as Durk Banks, has been indicted on new charges in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting rival rapper Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman.
Lil Durk, 32, now faces potentially life-long federal prison sentences.
The U.S. Justice Department revealed a superseding indictment on Friday, November 8, 2024, which charges Banks with conspiracy, use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and using, carrying, and discharging firearms — including machine guns — in a crime of violence.
The rapper is now the lead defendant in a case that already includes five other individuals: Kavon Grant, Deandre Wilson, Keith Jones, David Lindsey, and Asa Houston.
Among them, Jones also faces an additional charge of machine gun possession.
Background of the Case
The alleged murder-for-hire plot traces back to the 2020 killing of Chicago rapper King Von (Dayvon Bennett) in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prosecutors claim that Lil Durk sought revenge for Bennett’s death by targeting Bowman, whom he suspected of involvement.
According to the indictment, Banks allegedly placed a bounty on Bowman, offering both financial compensation and career opportunities in exchange for his murder.
Prosecutors allege that the group coordinated their travel from Chicago to Los Angeles to carry out the hit, utilizing funds linked to Lil Durk and the hip-hop group Only the Family (OTF), which Banks founded in 2010. T
The group reportedly used flights and a private jet funded by Banks, and purchased ski masks and hotel rooms upon arrival.
Details of the Alleged Plot
On August 19, 2022, Bowman, along with his sister and cousin, 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson, was in Los Angeles.
The group allegedly tracked Bowman’s black Cadillac Escalade in two rented vehicles, a BMW sedan and an Infiniti, eventually following him to a gas station on Beverly Boulevard.
Houston is accused of driving into an alley and letting out OTF members to execute the attack.
While Bowman and his sister escaped unscathed, Robinson was fatally shot in the incident.
Legal Developments and Additional Charges
Banks was arrested in Miami on October 24, one day after the indictment was unsealed. Federal investigators claim they discovered records indicating Banks had booked international flights, suggesting potential plans to leave the country.
The indictment accuses OTF of operating as a violent entity under Banks’ direction, engaging in violent acts to preserve and elevate their status.
All six defendants are in federal custody and await arraignment in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
If convicted, Banks and his co-defendants could face maximum sentences of life imprisonment.
