The Sinister Path of Malik Samartaney

Early Shadows

The story of Malik Samartaney, born Lawrence Banks on June 7, 1953, in Maryland, is a chilling saga of violence and tragedy spanning decades. Known as a smooth talker and a cunning manipulator, Samartaney's life is a labyrinth of crime and suspicion. His criminal record includes the brutal murders of at least three people, with suspicions of more, including his own family members.

Early Violence and Suspicion

The seeds of Samartaney's violent tendencies were sown early. On July 3, 1975, he drew a knife on his wife, Vivian Banks, and dragged her through their house. Despite Vivian's claim that Lawrence had threatened her life, the charges were eventually dropped at her insistence. Mere months later, on December 27, 1975, Lawrence's rage turned against his own blood. During a heated argument, he hurled his seven-month-old daughter, Dominique, through a glass door, necessitating 22 stitches for the infant. Charged with assault with intent to disfigure, Lawrence was already a man with a violent past by the time of his trial in 1976.

However, before the case could proceed, tragedy struck. Vivian was found dead in her apartment's closet. Lawrence was the prime suspect, but the body was too decomposed to establish a cause of death, allowing him to evade murder charges.

In 1976, Lawrence stood trial for the assault of his daughter. He concocted a story, claiming that he had accidentally broken the door pane while cradling the baby. The court, however, wasn't convinced, sentencing him to 15 years. He walked free in December 1988, as a man unrepentant and unchanged.

The Reign of Terror

Fast forward to the fall of 1991, Dominique and her brother, Lawrence Jr., accused their father of physical abuse. Dominique went further, alleging that he raped her in a drunken stupor. The accusations painted a harrowing picture of life within the Banks household.

The violence escalated on November 19, 1991. Lawrence gunned down Michael Chisholm, a drinking buddy, and hours later, his son, Lawrence Jr., in a foster home kitchen. The legal system faltered, allowing Lawrence to plead no contest to Lawrence Jr.'s murder and guilty to Chisholm's. He received two concurrent 20-year sentences, though prosecutors had hoped for a trial in the Chisholm case.

In 2004, Lawrence, now Malik Samartaney, was accused again—this time by his second wife, Patricia, of choking and threatening her. Although he spent nine months in jail, he was acquitted at trial.

Unsolved Murders and Continued Violence

The pattern of violence persisted. On December 1, 2006, Malik's girlfriend's daughter, Lisa Brown, sought protection against him. Eleven days later, Lisa and her infant daughter, Labria Fogle, were found dead. Although Malik was suspected, lack of evidence meant no charges were filed. Instead, he returned to prison in 2007 for parole violations and an alleged assault.

Released in 2014, Malik's freedom was short-lived. In March 2019, he faced a second-degree assault charge. By May, the situation had deteriorated fatally for Dominique, now a mother of six. Her dismembered remains were discovered in a shopping cart, with parts of her body still missing.

The Final Acts

In June 2019, Malik's arrest on firearms charges unearthed a trove of incriminating items, including bloodstains and counterfeit money. The subsequent month saw him charged with the first-degree murder of Dominique. Evidence from her daughter, Brittany Dunn, painted Malik as a man disgusted by Dominique's drug addiction, with a volatile temper that could have led to her demise. Malik's ex-fiancée testified about his suspicious behavior on the day of Dominique's death, noting scratches he claimed were from antifreeze.

In court, Malik's defense suggested that Dominique could have been a victim of Baltimore's drug trade, possibly at the hands of MS-13 gang members. Despite these claims, in October 2021, Malik was convicted of second-degree murder and unauthorized disposal of a body, though acquitted of first-degree murder.

A Long Awaited Justice

At his sentencing in February 2022, Malik's proclamations of innocence and pleas for leniency fell on deaf ears. The court, emphasizing public safety, sentenced him to 41 years—his history of violence sealing his fate. Dominique's family, in their statements, highlighted the void left by her absence and sought the maximum sentence for their safety.

In October 2022, Malik faced additional convictions for illegal weapon possession, resulting in a 15-year sentence. By July 2023, he pleaded guilty in the 2019 assault case, adding 67 days to his time behind bars.

Sources

• Maryland DOC Inmate Locator
• The Baltimore Sun
• WBAL Baltimore News
• Maryland Judiciary Case Search
• Maryland Daily Record

For more on Malik Samartaney's chilling tale, visit the Wikipedia page.