Federal prosecutors say Lil Durk sent a text message vowing retaliation just one day after the 2020 murder of his close friend and Only The Family labelmate King Von, according to a newly unsealed superseding indictment.
In the third superseding indictment filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, authorities allege that Durk Banks texted a co-conspirator on Nov. 7, 2020 — the day after Dayvon Bennett (King Von) was fatally shot outside an Atlanta hookah lounge. The message reportedly stated: “I can’t let this slide… I ain’t letting shit slide… [King Von / D.B.] dying turning me [into] a different animal.”
Prosecutors have designated the text as Overt Act No. 1 in the case, using it to help establish motive in the racketeering and murder-for-hire charges against the Chicago rapper and several alleged associates. The government claims the statement reflects Durk’s intent to retaliate against individuals connected to rival rapper Quando Rondo, whose associate Timothy “Lul Timm” Leeks was involved in Von’s killing.
The indictment ties the alleged Nov. 7 text to a 2022 shooting in Los Angeles’ Beverly Grove area. There, authorities say hitmen acting on a bounty allegedly placed by Durk opened fire on Quando Rondo; Rondo survived, but his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson was killed. The filing adds new charges including murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit stalking, expanding on previous counts such as conspiracy to use interstate facilities for murder-for-hire resulting in death and related firearms violations.
Additional evidence cited by prosecutors includes communications, surveillance footage, and screenshots from an unreleased music video for the song “Redman,” which allegedly shows Durk shooting at a figure resembling Quando Rondo. The government portrays Only The Family as a criminal enterprise involved in multiple acts of violence to maintain power and settle rivalries.
Durk’s legal team has pushed back against the latest filing, calling the government’s case weak and the new details an emotional reaction rather than evidence of criminal activity. Attorney Drew Findling and others have described the superseding indictment as a “desperate pivot,” arguing that the text message does not prove the specific crimes charged. Durk has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The 33-year-old artist remains in federal custody after multiple requests for bond were denied. His trial is currently slated for August 2026, though the date has been pushed back several times amid the case’s complexity and the reported volume of discovery materials.
The charges stem from a long-running feud between King Von and Quando Rondo that escalated with the November 2020 Atlanta shooting. Von, who was signed to OTF and shared a close bond with Durk, was one of the most prominent voices in Chicago drill before his death.
As with all federal cases, the allegations have not been proven in court, and Durk maintains his innocence. The latest indictment has drawn widespread coverage across hip-hop media outlets as the high-profile case continues to unfold.
