RismadarVoice Reporters, September 1, 2026
A Nevada jury has found former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder for his role in the 1996 killing of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur.
Davis, 63, was convicted on Monday after an 11-day trial in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas. He was accused of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip nearly three decades ago.
The jury deliberated for about three hours before returning the guilty verdict. Davis faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, with sentencing scheduled for October 13.
Davis during the court section
Davis told the court he plans to appeal.
Prosecutors argued that Davis organised the attack after a confrontation involving his nephew and Shakur’s associates. They said Davis obtained a firearm and gathered a group that later confronted Shakur and music executive Marion “Suge” Knight in a vehicle.
Davis
Police had long considered Davis a suspect but lacked sufficient evidence to charge him until he publicly discussed his involvement in media interviews and a 2019 memoir. Prosecutors used those statements, along with recorded conversations with investigators, as key evidence during the trial.
Davis’ defence team argued that his statements were unreliable and described his accounts as fiction rather than a confession. The defence also raised concerns over alleged police misconduct and missing evidence.
Prosecutors said Davis could be held responsible under Nevada law even though he was not identified as the person who fired the fatal shots.
Shakur, one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, was shot in Las Vegas in September 1996 and died several days later. His killing remained unsolved for years before Davis was arrested in 2023.
