Prosecutors in rapper Lil Durk's federal murder-for-hire trial showed jurors text messages Tuesday, Aug. 25, in which the Grammy winner wrote that the killing of his close friend King Von was "turning me a different animal," building their case that the Chicago rapper orchestrated a deadly revenge plot that ended with a 24-year-old shot dead near the Beverly Center.

Day four of the trial in Los Angeles federal court featured testimony from LAPD Detective Warner Carias and FBI Special Agent Jarron Farmby, who walked jurors through GPS tracking data, Instagram messages and a series of texts between Banks and associate Jason Smith.

Texts from the day King Von died

The prosecution played surveillance video of the Nov. 6, 2020, shooting of Dayvon Bennett, known as King Von, outside an Atlanta nightclub. After the clip ended, the gallery grew noticeably quieter. Banks, 33, leaned back in his chair with his hand over his chin and mouth, according to LA Mag.

Text messages from that day showed Banks writing "I'm dead inside," then "I gotta go all out for him," followed by "I can't let this slide." The next day, he texted Smith: "Yea I'm good in my feelings ready to put this shit together."

Defense attorney Brian Steel objected when prosecutors initially read only the phrase "put this shit together," omitting the "I'm good in my feelings" portion. The prosecution corrected itself.

GPS data and surveillance footage

Carias testified that GPS data from a rented white BMW driven by cooperating witness Kavon Grant showed the vehicle parked blocks from the Mobil gas station where Saviay'a Robinson, 24, was fatally shot on Aug. 19, 2022. At least 18 rounds were fired from multiple weapons, including a machine gun. The intended target, rival rapper Quando Rondo, survived.

After the shooting, the BMW traveled in the direction of a stolen white Infiniti used by the alleged gunmen before heading to an In-N-Out, Carias said. Surveillance video showed co-defendants Deondre Wilson, Kacey Hester, Keith Jones and David Lindsey at the restaurant, "joking around" and looking at their phones.

The prosecution also introduced Instagram messages in which Wilson allegedly sent a TMZ clip of Quando Rondo screaming upon learning of his cousin Robinson's death, accompanied by laughing emojis.

Defense challenges unrecorded interviews

Steel used his cross-examination to hammer at the credibility of the government's cooperating witnesses. Hester was interviewed 30 times. Only three sessions were recorded. Jones was interviewed five times with one recording. Grant met with investigators 10 times with zero recordings.

When Steel asked who decided not to record, Carias pointed to U.S. Attorney's Office procedures, adding that he personally prefers to always record interviews.

"Because you know that's the best way," Steel said.

Steel also noted that all three cooperators have pleaded guilty and face long prison sentences for Robinson's murder. Carias agreed there was a possible motivation for them to implicate innocent people in exchange for lighter sentences.

Flight text and phone numbers

Prosecutors highlighted a text from Banks to Smith reading "Don't book no flights under no names involved with me," sent two minutes after Smith forwarded a flight confirmation to Wilson. FBI Agent Farmby testified that Banks used 17 different phone numbers between 2018 and 2024, while Smith used only one.

Banks also changed his phone number roughly 48 hours after Robinson's killing, Carias confirmed.

Banks, whose legal name is Durk Devontay Banks, has pleaded not guilty to five federal charges including conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder for hire. He faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted. Prosecutors told jurors during opening statements that the plot was funded by Banks' wealth and carried out by his associates.

Defense attorneys are set to cross-examine Farmby on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The prosecution's case is expected to last 11 to 13 days.