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Murder For Hire

All articles tagged with #murder for hire

Durk Murder-for-Hire Trial Heats Up as Shooter Testifies About Bounty
courts-and-crime11 hours ago

Durk Murder-for-Hire Trial Heats Up as Shooter Testifies About Bounty

In Los Angeles, rapper Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial intensified as witness Kasey “OTF Jam” Hester testified about a bounty on Quando Rondo and described how he and others were recruited to kill him after the King Von confrontation. Jurors heard a jail-call recording and Hester’s earlier statements, which prosecutors say show a coordinated plot, while the defense argues he cooperated to avoid prison and that there is no direct evidence Durk paid for the killing. The government relies on multiple cooperating witnesses; Durk Banks’s defense contends the charges rely on manipulated testimonies and disputed meetings, with other defendants having already pleaded guilty.

crime2 days ago

Cooperating Witness Pins Lil Durk in Murder-For-Hire Plot

Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester, a cooperating witness in a federal murder-for-hire case, testified that Lil Durk was involved in a plot to kill Quando Rondo, naming Durk and others in connection with the August 2022 attack that killed Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson. Hester, who has pleaded guilty, is used by prosecutors to argue that Durk financed or ordered retaliation. Durk’s team contends Hester is unreliable and that other co-defendants will testify; the trial in Los Angeles continues as both sides challenge Jam’s credibility and narrative.

OTF Jam Testimony Highlights Plot Against Quando Rondo in Lil Durk Trial
crime2 days ago

OTF Jam Testimony Highlights Plot Against Quando Rondo in Lil Durk Trial

In the murder-for-hire trial of rapper Lil Durk (Durk Banks), jurors heard that flight bookings for OTF were coordinated by Jason Smith, a key detail prosecutors use to connect the group to alleged planning; FBI agent Farmby presented evidence including an Instagram post from King Von and a never-released 'Red Man' video depicting an attempted shooting linked to Quando Rondo's death. Cross-examination raised questions about the context and intent of messages and videos, while OTF Jam (Kacey Hester) described roles within the Black Disciples, the Aug. 18, 2022 San Diego-LA trip, and a plan to kill Rondo that was ultimately aborted; the trial continues.

Lil Durk Trial: Unreleased 'Redman' Video Sparks Art Debate Over Motive
crime2 days ago

Lil Durk Trial: Unreleased 'Redman' Video Sparks Art Debate Over Motive

Jurors in Lil Durk's Los Angeles murder-for-hire trial watched an unreleased video titled 'Redman,' which prosecutors say reflects a revenge motive tied to King Von’s death; defense lawyer Brian Steel argued it’s art and expression from a grieving artist, while prosecutors allege Durk Banks hired gunmen to stalk and shoot Quando Rondo, supported by witness testimony and coded lyrics; the trial is expected to last about three weeks.

Custody feud inspires murder-for-hire conviction in Florida road killing
crime2 days ago

Custody feud inspires murder-for-hire conviction in Florida road killing

A Florida jury convicted Mario Fernandez Saldana of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in the 2022 killing of Microsoft design manager Jared Bridegan on a Jacksonville Beach road, in a plot tied to a bitter child-custody dispute with his ex-wife Shanna Gardner; a former tenant, Henry Tenon, carried out the shooting and was paid after the fact, with DNA on the tire rim linking him to the crime. Gardner's trial is set for September and Tenon faces trial next year.

Custody feud linked murder-for-hire ends in Florida conviction in Microsoft manager's road slaying
crime2 days ago

Custody feud linked murder-for-hire ends in Florida conviction in Microsoft manager's road slaying

A Florida jury convicted Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38, of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in the 2022 killing of Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager, on a Jacksonville Beach road. Prosecutors said the murder was the culmination of a long-running child-custody dispute with Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and involved a hired gunman who received $10,000 in payments. Bridegan was shot after stopping to remove a tire; his children were in the car. Gardner’s trial is upcoming, while the gunman Henry Tenon had testified before backing out of a deal.

Lil Durk on Trial in LA Over Murder-for-Hire Revenge Plot Targeting Quando Rondo
crime4 days ago

Lil Durk on Trial in LA Over Murder-for-Hire Revenge Plot Targeting Quando Rondo

Prosecutors in Los Angeles opened the murder-for-hire trial of Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk (Durk Banks), alleging he orchestrated a revenge plot after the death of King Von to have Quando Rondo killed; a botched ambush instead killed Rondo’s cousin Saviay’a Robinson. Banks’ defense blames his former assistant Kavon Grant for logistics and says Banks was not involved; three co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and will testify. Banks, 33, denies charges of stalking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, while prosecutors say his wealth funded the scheme and he used coded language to direct killings. The case highlights the debate over rap lyrics and coded threats as evidence.

Ex-wife and husband accused in murder-for-hire plot against Microsoft exec go to trial
crime12 days ago

Ex-wife and husband accused in murder-for-hire plot against Microsoft exec go to trial

Prosecutors say Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan was lured from his car by a tire left in the road and shot in 2022 in a premeditated murder-for-hire plot tied to Bridegan's contentious custody battle; the scheme allegedly involved his ex-wife Shanna Gardner and her husband Mario Fernandez Saldana, with shooter Henry Tenon previously pleading guilty but now testifying as the case unfolds. Fernandez Saldana is on trial, Gardner faces related charges and is next to stand trial, while investigators point to checks and hundreds of phone contacts linking the conspirators.

Lindsay Shiver’s US Location Becomes Center of Bahamas Murder-for-Hire Fight
true-crime1 month ago

Lindsay Shiver’s US Location Becomes Center of Bahamas Murder-for-Hire Fight

Lindsay Shiver's U.S. attorney argues Bahamian prosecutors cannot pursue murder-for-hire charges because she was in the United States on July 16, 2023, while her Bahamian defense contends the DPP lacks jurisdiction and the indictment rests on evidence that she was in the U.S., signaling the charges could be dropped due to jurisdictional issues.

Estranged Husband Convicted in Brazil Killing of NYC Art Dealer
crime-and-courts3 months ago

Estranged Husband Convicted in Brazil Killing of NYC Art Dealer

Daniel Sikkema, a 55-year-old estranged husband and U.S./Cuban citizen living in New York, was convicted in Manhattan federal court of murder-for-hire conspiracy for hiring a hitman to kill his husband, Brent Sikkema, a prominent New York City art dealer, in Rio de Janeiro in January 2024. The hitman was arrested in Brazil and remains jailed. Sikkema faces a mandatory life sentence, and his lawyers plan to appeal. Brent Sikkema had built a multimillion-dollar art gallery business in Manhattan.

Ex-girlfriend of boy band member charged in murder-for-hire plot tied to custody dispute
crime3 months ago

Ex-girlfriend of boy band member charged in murder-for-hire plot tied to custody dispute

Gabriela Gonzalez, a 24-year-old with a large social-media following and former girlfriend of Jack Avery of Why Don’t We, was charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder for allegedly hiring a hitman on the dark web to kill Avery amid a custody dispute over their now 7-year-old daughter; prosecutors say her father and her then-boyfriend also face charges, and an undercover officer spoke with the alleged hitman contractor during the investigation.

Influencer, Father Charged in 2021 Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Ex-Boy Band Singer
crime3 months ago

Influencer, Father Charged in 2021 Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Ex-Boy Band Singer

Prosecutors say social-media influencer Gabbie Gonzalez, her Florida-based father Francisco Gonzalez, and her ex Kai Cordrey plotted in 2021 to have ex-boy band member Jack Avery killed amid a custody dispute over their daughter Lavender. An undercover FBI agent posed as a hitman; payments totaling about $14,000 were wired through Cordrey. Gonzalez was arrested in California, Francisco Gonzalez was detained in Florida, while Cordrey’s status is unclear. Avery has sought a temporary restraining order and sole custody. If convicted, the three could face 25 years to life in prison.

TikTok Influencer Faces Murder-For-Hire Charges in L.A. Custody Battle
crime3 months ago

TikTok Influencer Faces Murder-For-Hire Charges in L.A. Custody Battle

A TikTok influencer Gabriela “Gabbie” Gonzalez, her father Francisco Gonzalez, and ex-boyfriend Kai Faron Cordrey have been charged in Los Angeles with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder in an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting singer Jack Avery amid a bitter custody dispute over their 7-year-old child. Prosecutors say Francisco Gonzalez paid $14,000 to hire a hitman; the plan was foiled by an undercover officer posing as the hitman. Gonzalez remains in custody on $2 million bail, with her father facing extradition as the case moves to court.

TikTok influencer accused of plotting to hire a hitman to kill her child's father
us-news3 months ago

TikTok influencer accused of plotting to hire a hitman to kill her child's father

Gabriela Gonzalez, a 24-year-old TikTok influencer with about 500,000 followers, was charged in California with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder for allegedly plotting between 2020 and 2021 to hire someone to kill Jack Avery, the father of her 7-year-old child, with help from her father and her ex-boyfriend. An undercover officer posed as a hitman as the plot unfolded; if convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison.