Prosecutors Unveil Alleged Involvement in 2022 Chicago Murder as Rapper Seeks Release
Rapper Lil Durk (born Durk Davontay Banks) is currently seeking release from jail on a $3 million bond as he faces serious charges related to a 2023 murder-for-hire plot in Los Angeles. However, prosecutors have now revealed new allegations linking him to a separate murder in 2022, complicating his legal situation further.
As Durk’s attorneys prepare for a detention hearing this Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for California’s Central District filed a brief opposing his release, which includes newly uncovered details regarding his alleged involvement in the January 2022 murder of 24-year-old Stephon Mack in Chicago. According to an affidavit filed by FBI Special Agent Thomas Callaghan, Durk may have financially supported Mack’s killing. Mack was reportedly a suspected leader of a Chicago-based gang, and the FBI’s investigation suggests that the hit could have been funded by Durk in retaliation for his brother’s murder.
The FBI’s investigation into Mack’s death is still ongoing, but new revelations point to a connection between Durk and the suspects involved in the killing. Callaghan’s affidavit, filed in April 2023 and only recently unsealed, highlights a message exchange between two of the alleged killers, Anthony Montgomery-Wilson and Preston Powell. According to Callaghan, these messages, discovered through a phone search warrant, referenced payment for the murder and made mention of “Durk” and “OTF,” the acronym for Durk’s record label. One of the messages reportedly stated, “We waiting he comes up here on the 17th,” which, according to the FBI agent, referred to Durk’s expected visit to Chicago on February 17th to pay the suspects for Mack’s murder. Additionally, Callaghan presented photos that allegedly show Durk with Montgomery-Wilson, suggesting a direct connection between them.
Durk’s involvement in Mack’s killing has not led to formal charges, but the investigation remains active. The FBI’s findings in this case have also brought attention to the broader narrative surrounding Durk’s alleged connections to violent crime, particularly related to the murder of his own brother, Dontay Banks Jr. (aka DThang), who was fatally shot outside a Chicago nightclub in June 2021. According to the affidavit, Durk was reportedly offering money to have individuals involved in his brother’s death killed, as stated by a confidential source with close ties to the FBI. This source, described as a former gang member, has reportedly been working with the FBI for over five years.
In light of these developments, California prosecutors are using the information in the FBI’s affidavit as a key argument against Durk’s pretrial release. In a filing submitted Thursday, they argued that no bond conditions could ensure Durk’s appearance in court or protect potential witnesses in his case, which is set to proceed in January. “No condition or combination of conditions can ensure defendant Banks’ appearance or protect the community, including vital witnesses in this case,” prosecutors wrote, emphasizing that Durk faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted on the charges against him.
Durk is charged in connection with the August 2022 killing in Los Angeles, which involved a victim who was reportedly the cousin of rapper Quando Rondo. The charges against him include one count of conspiracy, one count of using interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire, resulting in death, and one count of “using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.” Despite the serious charges, Durk has pleaded not guilty, and his legal team is vigorously fighting to secure his release until trial.
In an effort to gain his release, Durk’s lawyers have offered a proposed bond package that includes $2.3 million in property bonds, secured by two homes in Georgia, one of which belongs to his mother, as well as $1 million in cash, which they claim was offered by Sony Music Entertainment, Durk’s label under Alamo Records. The attorneys also suggested conditions such as home detention with electronic monitoring and 24/7 security services to ensure his compliance with the court’s orders. Durk’s team describes him as a devoted husband, father, and son, as well as an internationally renowned musician and recording artist.
Durk has been in jail since his October 24th arrest, and his trial is scheduled to begin in January. His defense team continues to argue that he should be granted release pending trial, while prosecutors contend that his continued detention is necessary due to the severity of the charges and the risk he poses to public safety and the integrity of the case. The case has drawn significant attention, not only due to the criminal charges but also because of the high-profile nature of the rapper involved, whose influence extends beyond music into social media and popular culture.
As the legal proceedings continue, Lil Durk’s case is a reminder of how complex and layered the legal system can be, particularly when high-profile individuals are involved in cases with deep connections to organized crime.
