Dayvon Bennett, known to the world as King Von, wasn't just another rapper who adopted a "tough guy" persona to sell records. He was different. In the hyper-localized, often violent world of Chicago’s South Side, his reputation preceded his music. Since his death in 2020 outside a lounge in Atlanta, the internet has been obsessed with one specific, dark question: did King Von kill anyone?
It’s a heavy topic. To some, he’s a folk hero of the drill scene, a man who survived the "trenches" and told his story with terrifying clarity. To others, he represents a cycle of violence that law enforcement is still trying to map out years after he passed away. We aren't talking about lyrics here; we are talking about unsealed police documents, witness statements, and the grim reality of Chicago’s "O-Block."
The Case of Gakirah "KI" Barnes
If you want to understand why people ask about Von’s history, you have to start with Gakirah Barnes. She was a 17-year-old girl, allegedly a prolific shooter for a rival gang, who was killed in 2014. For years, her death was a mystery. Then, in 2021, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) released records that changed the narrative.
The documents named Dayvon Bennett as the offender in the Barnes homicide.
Witnesses reportedly identified Von as the shooter. According to the police files, he allegedly stood over her and fired multiple times. Why wasn't he charged back then? The CPD noted that while they had "positively identified" him via witnesses, there wasn't enough "admissible evidence" to bring the case to a courtroom at the time. It’s a nuance that gets lost in the headlines. Being named in a police report as an offender after you're dead is different from a conviction, but for many followers of the drill scene, this was the "smoking gun."
Unpacking the Serial Killer Label
Lately, a documentary by YouTuber Trap Lore Ross titled "King Von: Rap's First Serial Killer" went viral, racking up millions of views. It’s a polarizing piece of media. The documentary attempts to link Von to upwards of ten or more murders.
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Is it true?
Honestly, it’s complicated. Much of the evidence presented is based on "self-snitching" in lyrics and social media posts. Von was a master of the "troll." He would tweet cryptic messages or post photos that fans interpreted as admissions of guilt. But we have to be careful. Social media is a performance. While the CPD has looked into several of these claims, the only other major incident with significant legal documentation is the 2014 shooting of Malcolm Stuckey.
Von actually went to jail for that one. He sat in Cook County for years facing a first-degree murder charge. He beat the case in 2017 when witnesses failed to testify or changed their stories. He walked out a free man and immediately jumped into the studio with Lil Durk. That’s when his rap career exploded.
The Reality of Chicago Drill Culture
To talk about whether King Von killed anyone is to talk about the environment that raised him. O-Block—the apartment complex at 64th and King Drive—is one of the most famous and dangerous blocks in America. It's a pressure cooker.
In this world, "bodies" are currency. It’s morbid, but it’s the truth of the subculture. Von didn’t shy away from this. His music, like "Took Her To The O" or "Crazy Story," felt like a documentary because of the specific details he included. People didn't just listen to Von for the beats; they listened because they believed every word he said was true. This authenticity is what made him a star, but it's also what made him a target for both rivals and the feds.
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The 2021 FBI Revelations
It wasn't just the CPD. The FBI has also kept tabs on the O-Block vs. STL/EBT feud. Following the murder of FBG Duck in 2020—a high-profile shooting in Chicago's luxury shopping district—the feds moved in. While Von was already dead by the time the RICO charges were unboxed, his name appeared frequently in the investigative background.
The feds viewed him as a primary driver of the conflict. Investigators often look at "the source of the energy" in a gang war. Even if Von wasn't pulling the trigger in every instance, his influence and the bounty allegedly placed on his rivals' heads were central to the government's case against his associates.
What Most People Get Wrong
People love a monster story. It’s easy to look at the tweets and the police reports and label him a "serial killer." However, the legal reality is that he died an innocent man in the eyes of the law, having never been convicted of murder.
There is a massive gap between "street knowledge" and "courtroom proof." In the streets, Von is credited with many "scores." In the records, he is a suspect in a few and a cleared man in others. We also have to acknowledge the tragedy of it all. Behind every "stat" or "body" mentioned in a YouTube video is a real family in Chicago mourning a son or daughter. The glamorization of these deaths ignores the actual human cost.
The Final Night in Atlanta
King Von’s life ended in the very way he lived—involved in a violent confrontation. On November 6, 2020, a fight broke out between Von’s crew and Quando Rondo’s crew. Von was the aggressor, caught on camera throwing the first punch. Within seconds, shots were fired by Timothy "Lul Tim" Leeks.
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Von was hit multiple times. He died at the hospital.
It was a senseless end to a skyrocketing career. It also proved that the violence he rapped about wasn't a game. It was a cycle that eventually caught up to him, thousands of miles away from the streets of Chicago.
Actionable Insights for Researching Urban History
If you are looking into the history of the Chicago drill scene or specific cases involving figures like King Von, it's vital to separate internet rumors from verified documents.
- Access Public Records: Use the Chicago Police Department’s transparency portals to look for unsealed case files. Many "FOIA" (Freedom of Information Act) requests have been made regarding Dayvon Bennett, and these are the only primary sources that carry weight.
- Contextualize the Music: Understand that drill music is often used as a tool for "opp-tagging" and psychological warfare. Not every lyric is a confession, but many are reflections of real-world tensions.
- Consult Local Journalism: Reporters like those at the Chicago Sun-Times or The Invisible Institute provide much more nuanced coverage of these neighborhoods than social media influencers.
- Evaluate "Self-Snitching": Treat social media posts as circumstantial evidence. While they provide a timeline, they are often edited or posted to project an image of power rather than to record a factual event.
The legacy of King Von is one of incredible talent wasted by an environment of endless retaliation. Whether he was responsible for the crimes he was accused of or simply a product of a violent system, the impact he left on the music industry and the city of Chicago is undeniable. He lived by a code that eventually dictated his end, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a discography that serves as a grim map of the O-Block era.