Chicago rapper Lil Durk and his legal team are seeking a dismissal in his murder-for-hire case, accusing the feds of withholding evidence as federal prosecutors newly accuse him of ordering hits on O-Block members for not retaliating in the death of Durk’s close friend and fellow Chicago rapper King Von, born Dayvon Daquan Bennett.
RELATED: Lil Durk Arrested In Florida Over Murder-For-Hire Plot — Social Media Reacts
On October 17, 2024, U.S. Marshals in Florida arrested Lil Durk, full name Durk Devontay Banks, near Miami International Airport. They booked him into the Broward County Jail on serious murder-for-hire charges. Feds arrested Durk in Florida as authorities in Los Angeles indicted five members of his Hip-Hop collective, Only The Family (OTF).
They are all accused of conspiring to murder Savannah, Georgia rapper Quando Rondo, full name Tyquian Terrel Bowman. Rondo is believed to be linked to the death of King Von in 2020.
Additionally, the indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court, named Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey, and Asa Houston in connection with the alleged plot. The charges against them are severe, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and the use of firearms in a violent crime.
Lil Durk’s Legal Team Argues Against Federal Prosecutors Weaponizing Rap Lyrics In Murder-For-Hire Case Related To Quando Rondo And King Von
Furthermore, as for Lil Durk, the feds accuse him planning out the whole scenario leading to an August 2022 gas station shooting that allegedly targeted Quando Rondo. Rondo survived the shooting. However, his cousin, Saviay’a Robinson (aka “Lul Pab”), did not.
Prosecutors allege Durk used coded messages and promised money or music deals through his OTF collective to incentivize the alleged hit. The feds accuse Durk of ordering his crew to fly from Chicago to Los Angeles in August 2022 to murder Rondo. Durk allegedly arranged for cars, weapons, and ski masks to carry out the alleged ambush.
Feds claim Durk detailed the steps while featuring on Babyface Ray‘s song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy.” On the track he raps, “Told me they got an addy (gooo) / Got location (gooo) Green light (go, go, go, go, go) / Look on the news and see your son, You screamin’, ‘No, no’ (p***y!!!).” The song dropped in December 2022, months after the Rondo’s cousin’s murder.
In November 2024, Durk pleaded not guilty to charges in his murder-for-hire case in Los Angeles, California. A month later, his legal team claimed federal prosecutors had “no real evidence” against his client and mentioned the rap lyrics that prosecutors tried to use as evidence.
His team, which includes Drew Findling, Marissa Goldberg, Jonathan Brayman, and Christy O’Connor from The Findling Law Firm, argued that prosecutors are misreading his rap lyrics and have no additional sufficient evidence to back up their claims. The team told TMZ Hip-Hop:
“When you see an artist’s rap lyrics quoted as ‘evidence’ against them, it is a glaring indication that there is no real evidence against that person. The claims in the indictment against Mr. Banks are false and lacking in the most basic due diligence.
The real truth is that Durk Banks is a Grammy Award-winning artist, a dedicated father, and a loving husband. Mr. Banks has been intensely committed to giving back to the Chicago community he loves through his Neighborhood Heroes Foundation and has put on more than a dozen charitable events over the last few years. He is looking forward to fighting against these false allegations in court.”
RELATED: Lil Durk’s Lawyer Says There’s ‘No Real Evidence’ Against Artist
Lil Durk Seeks Dismissal In Murder-For-Hire Case Accusing Feds Of Withholding Evidence
In March 2025, a judge denied bond for Lil Durk again as he waited trial. His lawyers argued that the prosecution’s case is weak. They noted that the feds are simply relying on fan-made internet posts and rap lyrics. They argued that this isn’t enough to justify keeping him locked up before trial start. However, the judge disagreed, leaving him behind bars until a then-scheduled October 14 trial start.
On Monday (October 6), AllHipHop reported that Lil Durk and his legal team are seeking a dismissal in his murder-for-hire case, accusing the feds of withholding evidence. Durk’s team claims federal prosecutors are hiding key facts that would provide him with a fair trial. One of Durk’s lawyers, Drew Findling said:
“While the Indictment alleges that the co-conspirators carried out various acts ‘at the direction of’ Mr. Banks—flying to Los Angeles; tracking, stalking, and attempting to kill [Quando Rondo] by gunfire; and procuring the firearms and equipment used to do so—it fails to give any specifics. When, where, how, and to whom did Mr. Banks give these alleged directions? To ensure the basic fairness of this trial, the defense is entitled to know.”
Durk’s lawyers also argue against the feds alleging the rapper set a bounty and offered “lucrative music opportunities” to anyone who carried out the alleged hit. His team said the government has failed to identify the recipients of these messages, what the alleged code words were, or when and where he made any offers.
They continue to argue that the lack of details and evidence provided violates Durk’s constitutional rights. Furthermore, the legal team states this all could lead to a conviction based on unclear or shifting allegations. Findling added:
“What the Indictment fails to tell us are the very things the defense is entitled to know: the ‘operative facts’ underlying the government’s theories of Mr. Banks’ guilt. There is no allegation here that Mr. Banks physically participated in the stalking and shooting at issue.”
Durk’s defense team filed a motion to dismiss the charges or, at least, urge prosecutors to provide detailed paperwork to back up their claims. For now, Durk remains in federal custody with a hearing on the motion scheduled for November 18, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Lil Durk Murder-For-Hire Case: Newly Accused Of Ordering Hits On O-Block Members For Not Retaliating In King Von’s Death
While Chicago rapper Lil Durk remains in federal custody in his murder-for-hire case, new reports claim the feds are now accusing him of ordering hits on O-Block members for not retaliating in King Von’s 2020 death.
According to HotNewHipHop, citing paperwork first posted by DurkAllDay, federal prosecutors now allege Durk put hits on O-Block members. The paperwork alleges Durk texted Deandre Wilson, Antonio Jones a.k.a. Boonie Mo, and PW-1, in April 2023. He allegedly said, “I’m finna pipe it up.” Prosecutors allege Durk was “feuding with O-Block member Munna Duke over defendant Banks’ belief that O-Block members were not properly retaliating for Bennett’s death.”
Additionally, the paperwork continued to read, “Boonie Mo responds, “Blood it’s green [emoji of car and green light] getting sh*t together now no phones.” The court docs continue to detail how prosecutors accuse Durk of orchestrating this alleged revenge.
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