Former gang leader stands trial for Tupac Shakur’s murder
A former gang leader, Duane “Keffe D” Davis, is on trial in Las Vegas for allegedly ordering the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The case revisits one of America’s most debated unsolved murders, with prosecutors arguing that Davis provided the weapon used in the fatal drive-by shooting. The trial also brings renewed attention to the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry and the longstanding feud between Death Row and Bad Boy Records. Davis maintains his innocence and claims he was not present at the scene.
What we know
- Tupac Shakur was killed on the night of September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas after attending a Mike Tyson boxing match.
- Prosecutors allege that Duane “Keffe D” Davis ordered the killing and supplied the gun used in the shooting.
- The investigation was revived after the publication of Davis’s memoirs in 2019, where he admitted to being in the car but did not say who fired the shots.
- Davis was arrested in September 2023 and has pleaded not guilty, claiming he was in Los Angeles at the time.
- In March 2025, Davis stated in a prison interview that he is innocent and that there is no evidence against him.
