Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of murdering rap icon Tupac Shakur, bringing the nearly 30-year-old case to a dramatic end.
A Las Vegas jury convicted the 63-year-old former South Side Compton Crips leader on Monday, August 31, after less than three hours of deliberation.
The verdict marks the first conviction in the long-running case.
Keffe D Did Not Pull the Trigger
Prosecutors did not accuse Davis of firing the gun that killed Tupac.
Instead, they argued that he organised the attack, supplied the weapon and led the group that went after Tupac following a confrontation involving Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, and members of Tupac’s entourage earlier that night.
Tupac and Death Row Records boss Marion “Suge” Knight were travelling in a BMW near the Las Vegas Strip when a white Cadillac pulled alongside them. Gunmen opened fire, hitting Tupac several times.
The rapper died six days later, on September 13, 1996, at the age of 25.
Davis’ Own Words Became Key Evidence
The prosecution built much of its case around Davis’ own statements.
Over the years, Davis discussed the shooting in interviews, his 2019 memoir “Compton Street Legend” and recordings of conversations with investigators. Prosecutors argued that his repeated accounts placed him inside the white Cadillac during the attack.
Davis’ defence offered a different explanation, arguing that he exaggerated his stories for money, publicity and attention and that investigators could not independently verify important parts of his account.
The jury ultimately rejected that defence.
What Happens to Keffe D Now?
Davis now faces a possible life sentence without parole.
Judge Carli Kierny set his sentencing for October 13, 2026. After the verdict, Davis also told the judge that he planned to appeal.
The conviction closes one of hip-hop’s most famous murder cases, almost three decades after Tupac’s death.
For years, the unanswered question surrounding the September 1996 shooting fueled theories, speculation and countless debates among fans.
Now, for the first time, a jury has reached a guilty verdict in the case.