The public’s interest in the 2020 shooting death of Chicago rapper King Von has increased after a federal jury found rapper Lil Durk not guilty in his widely publicized murder-for-hire trial on Friday.
Who killed King Von?
King Von, born Dayvon Bennett, was fatally shot outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge in Atlanta on November 6, 2020. He later secured a bond for $100,000 while awaiting trial, according to Complex . Shortly after Leeks was taken into custody in 2020, police closed Von’s murder case. However, in August 2023, prosecutors dismissed the charges before an indictment. he has never been charged in connection with King Von’s death Although Quando Rondo was present and shot during the 2020 altercation. In a 2021 interview, Rondo maintained that his group acted in self-defence after King Von allegedly struck him during the confrontation. Members allegedly linked to Lil Durk attempted to locate and kill Rondo in Los Angeles in August 2022, according to the indictment.
As a result, no one has been convicted or sentenced for King Von’s death. ABC News had reported that Leeks also suffered gunshot injuries and was being treated for the same in police custody. Complex reported that the dismissal did not amount to a finding of innocence or a not-guilty verdict.
The alleged plot culminated in a 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that killed Saviay’a “Luh Pab” Robinson, Quando Rondo’s cousin, while Rondo survived. A gunfight outside the Atlanta club early in the morning resulted in the deaths of three people, including King Von, according to ABC News . Authorities had arrested Timothy “Lul Tim” Leeks a day later and charged him with felony murder. Leeks was able to appeal to the Superior Court and be given the opportunity to post bail Although murder is a “non-bondable” crime in Georgia. Investigators concluded there was insufficient evidence to continue prosecuting the case, according to statements from Leeks’ attorney.
Federal prosecutors had alleged that Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, financed a murder-for-hire plot targeting Quando Rondo in retaliation for King Von’s death. A jury, however, found Banks not guilty on all counts. The shooting occurred after a confrontation between members of his entourage and those accompanying Quando Rondo. Instead, prosecutors determined they could not prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutors reportedly viewed the shooting as an act of self-defence or defence of others during the confrontation. Investigators never accused Rondo of firing the fatal shots. Federal prosecutors later argued that King Von’s killing motivated a retaliatory conspiracy targeting Rondo. Instead, gunfire killed his cousin Luh Pab. Rondo escaped unharmed. Lil Durk consistently denied ordering any retaliation. Following weeks of testimony, a federal jury acquitted him of the murder-for-hire and stalking charges.
However, the verdict does not change the legal status of King Von’s homicide investigation, which ended years earlier without anyone being convicted.
