Dyante Lee Battle, 32, was found shot to death in a wooded area between a Wendy’s parking lot and North Essex Drive in Lexington Park, Maryland, during the late evening of August 22, 2020. An autopsy confirmed Battle had been shot five times; investigators recovered shell casings from three different calibers at the scene.

A witness contacted police within hours and said 18-year-old Malachi Aaron Banks had confessed. Video surveillance later showed Banks admitting the shooting on a residence’s front porch and asking the witness for help disposing of the gun. After a short foot pursuit, law enforcement took Banks into custody. Initial reports indicated up to five people fled the scene and the motive was unclear.

On July 2, 2021, Malachi Aaron Banks, then 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Battle’s death. Does anyone have information about Battle’s last known movements or who else might have been present that night?