Malik Samartaney

Malik's sentencing hearing was held on February 28, 2022. He told judge Jennifer Schiffer that he was involved in his son's death years ago and promised God he would not kill again. "I have fruit flies in my cell and don’t even swat at them," he said. Growing louder as he spoke, he talked about his time in prison and asked for leniency. "Your honor, I’m very sorry for the death of my daughter, but I did not do that. I dream every night that I find the person who would do that." His lawyer maintained that her client was innocent and had been convicted with circumstantial evidence. She highlighted Malik's military history and said he helped his daughter get drug treatment.

In October 2021, Malik was convicted of second degree murder and unauthorized disposal of a body. He was acquitted of first degree murder.

In May 2019, Malik killed Dominique, who was now 43 and a mother of six. Her remains were found in a shopping cart stuffed with black trash bags. Police only found Dominique's shoulders and arms. Her hands, feet, legs, and head are still missing.

On December 1, 2006, Malik's new girlfriend's daughter, 22-year-old Lisa Brown, received a protective order against him after an argument over money that he borrowed from her, in which he threw it at her. Eleven days later, Lisa and her 9 month old daughter, Labria Fogle, were found shot dead in their home. Malik was suspected of killing them, but never charged due to a lack of evidence.

In 2004, Lawrence, who had changed his name to Malik Samartaney, was charged with assaulting his second wife, Patricia. She said he had choked her and threatened to kill her. Malik spent nine months in jail awaiting trial before being acquitted.

In the fall of 1991, Dominique and her brother, 17-year-old Lawrence Jr., accused their father of beating them. Dominique also said that he had raped her while he was drunk.

On November 19, 1991, Lawrence fatally shot 36-year-old Michael Chisholm, one of his drinking buddies. Hours later, he fatally shot Lawrence Jr., as he cowered in a kitchen corner in a foster home. Due to problems with witnesses and evidence, prosecutors reluctantly allowed him to plead guilty to one count of second degree murder and no contest to another count of second degree murder. Lawrence received two concurrent 20-year sentences and was released from prison in October 2002.

Lawrence was later convicted of assaulting his daughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was released from prison in December 1988.

On July 3, 1975, Lawrence held a knife to the throat of his wife, Vivian Banks, and dragged her through the house. Although Vivian told police that her husband had threatened to kill her, the charges against him were later dropped upon her request.

On December 27, 1975, after an argument with his wife, Lawrence threw his 7-month-old daughter, Dominique, through a glass door. She had to receive 22 stitches. While he was out on bail, Vivian was found dead in the closet of an apartment she had been living in. Although detectives suspected Lawrence of killing her, he avoided murder charges since the body had been decomposing for several weeks and a cause of death could not be determined.

Malik Samartaney (born Lawrence Banks; June 7, 1953) is an American serial killer who killed at least three people, including his son and daughter, in Maryland, between 1991 and 2019. He is also suspected of killing his wife in 1976, and his girlfriend's daughter and granddaughter in 2006. A pre-sentencing report in 1976 called Samartaney a smooth liar and a smooth talker, and said he was skilled at misrepresenting himself.