It’s been nearly five years since Pop Smoke (Bashar Jackson) was killed in California’s Hidden Hills — and now, the only adult defendant in the murder trial has reached a plea deal.
According to Rolling Stone, Corey Walker, 24, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery charges in Los Angeles court on Wednesday (Feb. 5).
Walker will serve 29 years behind bars in prison on the charges of home invasion robbery with gun and gang enhancements. The voluntary manslaughter count was added this week, while the murder charge was dropped as part of the deal offered by prosecutors.
A jury was gearing up to be seated in Los Angeles if the trial proceeded into next week. Walker will ultimately be sentenced by a judge at a Feb. 21 hearing.
Per Rolling Stone‘s Nancy Dillon, Walker told the judge he armed a juvenile with a 9mm pistol before executing the armed robbery, which resulted in Pop Smoke being shot at a California Airbnb he had rented. Walker also admitted to selling the Rolex watch stolen from Pop for $2,000. Walker’s grandmother and four-year-old daughter were present in court.
Along with three juveniles, Walker invaded Pop Smoke’s Airbnb during the wee hours of Feb. 19, 2020. Smoke was fatally shot multiple times following a tense exchange while he was with a woman in one of the mansion’s bedrooms.
Walker also pleaded guilty to the robbery of the unidentified woman with Smoke. The manslaughter and robbery charges carry a two-year sentence that will reportedly run concurrently with the 29-year sentencing.
Walker and the juvenile defendants found Pop Smoke’s Airbnb address after the rapper posted a gift that had been sent to him on his Instagram Story that featured the address.
Feb. 19 will mark five years since Pop Smoke was tragically murdered at 20 years old. The burgeoning rap star was one of the pioneers of the Brooklyn drill movement that began sweeping the music industry at the turn of the decade.
This story originally appeared on Billboard
