Pop Smoke murder suspect set to face 29 years in prison
A man charged with killing Pop Smoke pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter on February 5th and faces up to 29 years behind bars. 24-year-old Corey Walker was initially charged with murder and could have faced up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Smoke was shot and killed in Los Angeles at the age of 20. He’s best known for his key role in the Brooklyn drill scene and being behind hit singles such as ‘Welcome to the Party’ and ‘Dior’. At the time, he was working on his debut album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon.
In addition to voluntary manslaughter, Walker also admitted to two counts of home-invasion robbery for his involvement in the rapper’s shooting murder on February 19th, 2020, CBS News reports. He’s due to be sentenced at a hearing set for February 21st 2025.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Smoke’s mother said, “It’s over for everybody except for me. This never ends for me. And that’s unfair. I’m grateful that the culprits were caught. I appreciate they got justice to the fullest extent of the law. But my life doesn’t change. I still don’t have my son. I will continue to work on his legacy, but that’s also a constant reminder that he’s not here.”
Walker, who was 19 at the time, is one of four people charged in connection to Smoke’s death. Another defendant, Keandre Rodgers, was 22, while the other two remaining defendants were underage. He and Walker faced charges that made them eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors decided against it. The two teenagers involved in the murder, who were 17 and 15 when they were charged, both admitted to their roles.
Smoke was staying in Hollywood Hills when four people broke into his rented property while he was in the shower, having found the address from an Instagram post. The 15-year-old hit Smoke with his gun before shooting him three times. He later admitted to first-degree murder in a juvenile court and will stay in a facility until he’s 25.
The other defendant, who was 17, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery, and was sentenced to four years and two months in a juvenile facility.