Duane “Keffe D” Davis Found Guilty Of Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Murder

Las Vegas, Nevada — Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a former South Side Compton Crips gang leader, has been found guilty of the 1996 murder of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur.

A Las Vegas jury convicted the 63-year-old Davis on Monday, August 31, 2026, of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon in connection with the drive-by shooting that claimed Shakur’s life nearly 30 years ago.

The verdict came after the jury deliberated for less than three hours, bringing the first conviction in one of the most closely followed unsolved cases in hip-hop history.

Tupac, 25 at the time, was shot on September 7, 1996, while riding in a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight in Las Vegas. He died from his injuries six days later.

Prosecutors argued that Davis orchestrated the attack as retaliation after his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, was involved in a fight with Tupac and members of his entourage at the MGM Grand earlier that night.

According to prosecutors, Davis was inside a white Cadillac involved in the shooting and helped organise the attack. They did not allege that Davis personally fired the fatal shots.

The prosecution also relied heavily on statements Davis had made over the years, including accounts in interviews, a 2019 memoir and a recorded police interview. His defence team argued that Davis had exaggerated or fabricated some of his claims for publicity and financial gain.

Following the guilty verdict, Davis told the court that he intended to appeal the conviction.

Members of Tupac’s family were visibly emotional as the verdict was announced, with his sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, seen crying and embracing members of the prosecution team.

Davis could face life imprisonment. His sentencing has been scheduled for October 13, 2026.

Tupac Shakur remains one of the most influential figures in hip-hop. His death for decades fuelled speculation, conspiracy theories and debate over who was responsible for the shooting.

The conviction marks a major development in a case that remained unresolved for almost three decades.