A Las Vegas jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of the 1996 murder of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur, bringing a dramatic legal breakthrough to a case that remained unsolved for nearly three decades.
Davis, a 63-year-old former gang leader, was convicted of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon over the drive-by shooting that claimed Shakur’s life in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.
The jury reached its verdict after about three hours of deliberation, rejecting Davis’ defence that there was no credible evidence linking him to the killing.
Tupac was shot multiple times while travelling in a BMW driven by former Death Row Records boss Marion “Suge” Knight after the pair attended a Mike Tyson boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The rapper, who was seated in the passenger seat, was hit four times after a white Cadillac pulled alongside their vehicle and gunmen opened fire. He died in hospital six days later at the age of 25.
For years, Shakur’s killing remained one of the biggest mysteries in the history of hip-hop, generating numerous theories and conspiracy claims but producing no arrests until Davis was charged with murder in 2023.
During the trial, prosecutors relied heavily on Davis’ own public statements, police interviews and his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, in which he placed himself inside the white Cadillac allegedly used in the attack.
Prosecutors argued that although Davis did not personally pull the trigger, he played a central role in organising the attack, providing the weapon and authorising the retaliation against Shakur.
The alleged motive stemmed from an altercation earlier that night involving Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson.
Following the Mike Tyson fight, surveillance footage showed Shakur and members of his entourage attacking Anderson at the MGM Grand. Prosecutors argued that the confrontation triggered the deadly retaliation hours later.
Davis’ lawyers, however, maintained that his statements and claims in his memoir were exaggerated stories intended to sell books.
The defence also argued that there was no physical evidence, eyewitness account, photograph or other material proof directly placing Davis in Las Vegas at the time of the shooting.
But the jury rejected those arguments and found him guilty.
Reports from the courtroom said Davis showed little reaction when the verdict was announced, while members of Shakur’s family became emotional.
His sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, was seen crying as the verdict was read, while Davis’ son reportedly covered his face.
Before the trial, Tupac’s stepbrother, Mopreme Shakur, said that although the family wanted justice, no legal outcome could bring the rapper back.
“The justice I would like, I’ll never get. I want my little brother back,” he said.
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Davis’ conviction came after almost 30 years of uncertainty surrounding one of the most high-profile killings in music history.
His sentencing has been fixed for October 13, and Davis has indicated his intention to appeal the conviction.
The verdict marks the first time anyone has been found guilty over the murder of Shakur, whose death transformed him from one of hip-hop’s biggest stars into a global cultural icon.
Tupac, also known as 2Pac, was renowned for songs including California Love, Changes, All Eyez on Me and I Ain’t Mad at Cha, with his music continuing to influence generations of artists and fans decades after his death.
