A Los Angeles jury found rapper Lil Durk not guilty of all charges in a murder-for-hire trial on September 11, 2026. The 33-year-old faced five felony counts including murder for hire resulting in death and conspiracy. Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, was arrested in connection with the August 2022 shooting that targeted Tyquian Bowman at a gas station near the Beverly Center shopping mall and killed Bowman’s cousin Saviay’a Robinson. Robinson was 24 and was also known as Lul Pab.
Prosecutors alleged that Banks used coded language to order hitmen to kill Bowman in retaliation for the murder of King Von, a rapper signed to his label OTF, according to the Los Angeles Times. The attack involved at least 18 rounds fired from various weapons including a machine gun, according to reports. Durk had pled not guilty to all charges in the case and was found not guilty by the jury after a trial that began on August 24, according to a report from E! News. The jury deliberated for three days before reaching its verdict.
Two co-defendants were tried alongside him during the proceedings. Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were acquitted of the murder-for-hire charges but convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon and stalking resulting in death.
Despite being acquitted, Durk remains in custody and is scheduled for another trial on October 5. In that upcoming trial, he will face racketeering murder and firearms charges. Reuters reported that Wilson and Lindsey also face trial on the remaining charges.
The first assistant U.S. attorney said the government looks forward to presenting its evidence at the second trial. The official was First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. Authorities claimed that Banks made it known he would pay a bounty for the killing of Bowman.
Durk’s legal team argued that the mastermind behind the shooting was OTF Vonnie, whose real name is Kavon Grant. Grant testified that he had been involved in another shooting targeting Bowman in Georgia in 2021. Durk’s attorney Marissa Goldberg said that Grant believed his only way out of prison was to blame Durk. She argued that Durk had nothing to do with the incident and was not present at the scene.
The rapper has been supported by several high-profile musical artists during his trial. Kanye West posed for photos outside the courthouse holding a black T-shirt that read “Free Durk.” MGK also showed support by writing on social media about being there to help. AP reported that both Ye and Machine Gun Kelly appeared during the trial.
Durk founded OTF in 2010 and has won a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his single “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. He has also been nominated for a Grammy three other times. The Recording Academy lists four nominations and one win for Banks.
An associate of Bowman was initially charged in connection with King Von’s murder but those charges were later dropped. Timothy “Lul Timm” Leeks was charged with felony murder after Von was killed in Atlanta in November 2020. The charge was dismissed before Leeks was indicted.