Pop Smoke's Killer Corey Walker Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter After Five Years of Legal Battles

After nearly five years of legal proceedings, Corey Walker, the only adult charged in the 2020 murder of rapper Pop Smoke, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery on Wednesday.

The plea deal, which ends a long legal battle, spares Walker from facing a murder charge and the possibility of life in prison.

Walker, 24, admitted to leading a group of juveniles during the fatal robbery of Pop Smoke's Airbnb in Los Angeles on February 19, 2020. During the invasion, Pop Smoke, born Bashar Jackson, was shot and killed, Billboard said.

Prosecutors said Walker helped plan the crime, which was carried out in part to steal jewelry and other valuables the rapper had showcased on social media.

Suspect Sentenced in Pop Smoke's Death

Under the plea deal, Walker will serve 29 years in prison. Additionally, he was convicted of robbery and given a two-year sentence for his role in a separate robbery of a woman at the scene.

These sentences will run concurrently. The plea also prevents a jury trial that was set to begin this week.

According to Rolling Stone, Walker's defense attorney, Kellen Davis, stated that their goal was to avoid a life sentence, noting that Walker never intended for Pop Smoke to be harmed.

Davis said the plea deal was the best option given the legal risks Walker faced with enhanced charges related to the robbery. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Pop Smoke's family," Davis added.

Pop Smoke's mother, Audrey Jackson, expressed mixed emotions after the hearing. While she acknowledged that justice had been served, she shared that the case would never bring her son back.

"This never ends for me," she said.

"I'm grateful that the culprits were caught, but my life doesn't change."

The tragic event occurred when Walker and his group, having obtained the address from a social media post by Pop Smoke, invaded the home.

While Pop Smoke was in a bedroom, he was attacked, pistol-whipped, and shot multiple times. Walker was accused of surveilling the home and providing a firearm to the juveniles involved.

As the case finally comes to a close, Walker is set to be sentenced on Feb. 21.

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