Grammy Winner Lil Durk Arrested: Accused of Murder-For-Hire Plot
Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, was arrested in Florida on Thursday by U.S. marshals on charges of conspiring to murder a rival artist. The 32-year-old rapper was apprehended near Miami International Airport and booked at the Broward County Jail without bail, according to federal officials.
Alleged Targeted Execution
Banks is accused of orchestrating the assassination of Tyquian Bowman, a Georgia rapper known as Quando Rondo. This plot stemmed from the shooting death of Bowman’s cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, in a botched ambush near the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles in 2022. Authorities believe the ambush was sparked by an ongoing feud between Bowman and Banks’ music group, Only The Family (OTF).
The Deadly Feud
FBI Special Agent Sarah Corcoran’s affidavit details the escalating violence. The feud began when an associate of Bowman killed a rapper affiliated with Banks’ music group, Dayvon Bennett, known as King Von. Bennett, a close friend of Banks, was gunned down outside an Atlanta nightclub in 2020.
Corcoran alleges that following Bennett’s death, Banks placed a “monetary bounty” on Bowman’s head. In August 2022, members of OTF, reportedly acting on Banks’ orders, traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, planning to carry out the hit.
The Failed Hit and the Aftermath
The alleged hit team tracked Bowman to a hotel and followed him to a gas station near the Beverly Center. Robinson was tragically shot and killed as Bowman was getting gas, while Bowman himself survived. The hit team then quickly returned to Chicago.
Following the shooting, five men were arrested in Chicago and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. An alert was issued when Banks was attempting to flee the country on private jets headed to Dubai, Switzerland, and Italy. He was apprehended while attempting to leave the United States.
Corcoran stated, “Banks flew on a private jet from Miami to Los Angeles with a man named Kavon Grant, Grant used Banks’ credit card to book a room at the Sheraton Universal Hotel, where the five-man hit team stayed the night before they tracked down Bowman, according to the agent’s affidavit.” Banks stayed at a rented home in Encino.
The indictment against Banks, Grant, and other OTF members details their alleged roles in the plot, including the procurement of weapons and the coordination of the failed assassination attempt.
The Law Takes Its Course
The ongoing investigation underscores the grim consequences of gang violence in the music industry. Lil Durk’s arrest serves as a stark reminder of the potential legal repercussions of such actions. The case is currently proceeding through the legal system.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.