Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis Found Guilty of Orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s Murder, Ending 30-Year-Long Cold Case

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis has been convicted of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed rapper Tupac Shakur at the height of his career.
A 12-person jury reached the verdict after less than three hours of deliberation on Monday, Aug. 31, per the Associated Press. The gang enhancement portion of the murder charge has been dismissed.
Davis, 63, is facing up to life in prison after orchestrating Shakur’s murder amid an ongoing gang rivalry. He was arrested in connection with the “Keep Ya Head Up” rapper’s murder in late September 2023, marking the first big break in the decades-long cold case.
Davis pleaded not guilty in early November 2023.

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The verdict comes just a week shy of the 30th anniversary of the shooting that claimed Shakur’s life.
Shakur was shot in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996. In Davis’ trial, prosecutors alleged the shooting was carried out in retaliation for Shakur’s entourage attacking Davis’ nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson a few hours earlier at the MGM Grand following a Mike Tyson fight. Anderson was associated with the South Side Compton Crips, while Knight and Death Row had ties to the Bloods.
During the two-week trial, jurors were shown the casino’s surveillance video of the dispute on Aug. 18, where a group of people was seen beating and kicking someone on the ground. Earlier in 1996, Anderson had allegedly been involved in an attempt to take a Death Row-associated chain. When Shakur and his entourage spotted him at the MGM, a fight broke out. )Anderson died on May 29, 1998, at the age of 23.)
In the footage shown to jurors on Aug. 18, Shakur and his entourage moved quickly through the crowded MGM building in the minutes after the dispute. Security and police arrived at the scene and spoke with Anderson, who wore a #13 Dan Marino Miami Dolphins jersey, according to the surveillance video.
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Just hours after, Shakur was riding on the passenger side of a black BMW with hip-hop mogul Marion “Suge” Knight behind the wheel. The vehicle was gunned down by someone in a white Cadillac with Davis, Anderson and two other men inside.
Davis is not accused of pulling the trigger. Instead, prosecutors said he orchestrated the killing and provided the firearm used.
Shakur succumbed to his injuries six days later, on Sept. 13, 1996.
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While the case went cold with years of unanswered questions, Davis’ 2019 memoir Compton Street Legend, along with his media interviews, including a 2008 sit-down where he detailed Shakur’s fatal shooting, brought renewed attention to the case.
Prosecutors pointed to the memoir and interview as evidence against Davis during the trial; however, Davis’ attorney Michael Sanft suggested his claims were “bulls—” and said Davis was known for embellishing stories.
“He was never charged for any of what he said during that time period, and it’s because they knew he was full of crap,” Sanft said during his opening statements. “Otherwise they would have.”
Davis is being held without bail and has already informed the judge that he plans to appeal the conviction, AP reported.