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A Las Vegas jury has convicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Following closing arguments and approximately three hours of deliberation, the 63-year-old was found guilty of murder with a deadly weapon in connection with promoting or assisting a criminal gang. Davis now faces a potential life sentence and will be held without bail until his October 13 sentencing date.
Shakur was fatally shot on September 7, 1996, when a white Cadillac pulled alongside his vehicle at a red light in Las Vegas. The hip-hop icon was struck four times with a Glock .22 pistol and died six days later from his injuries. Prosecutors argued that Davis orchestrated the drive-by shooting and provided the weapon to the gunman, believed to be either his nephew or another individual in the vehicle.
During trial, prosecutors highlighted Davis’s own admissions over nearly two decades, including statements to media outlets, a 2018 television appearance, and his 2019 memoir detailing his involvement in the killing. The defense countered that Davis’s confessions alone were insufficient proof without corroborating physical evidence. Davis has indicated he intends to appeal the conviction once sentenced.
The case against Davis was filed in September 2023, more than 25 years after Shakur’s death. Investigators alleged the murder was retaliation after Shakur’s associates attacked Davis’s nephew hours before the shooting.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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