Keffe D Found Guilty of Tupac Shakur Murder

A jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, three decades after Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.

Jurors returned the verdict after deliberating for less than three hours. Davis, 63, was found guilty of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

Davis stood beside his lawyer as the verdict was read and then sat with his hands clasped on the table.

Sentencing Set for October 13

Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny has scheduled Davis’ sentencing for Oct. 13. Prosecutors said he faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutors Say Davis Was Not The Shooter

Prosecutors told the jury that Davis did not fire the gun that killed Shakur in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip on Sept. 7, 1996.

They alleged that the person who fired the shots was either Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew, or another man in the back seat of the car.

Investigators and prosecutors have accused Davis, who they describe as an admitted longstanding leader of a Los Angeles street gang, of acting as the “shot caller”. They said he provided the murder weapon to the gunman.

Case Built On Confessions And Other Evidence

During closing arguments on Monday, prosecutor Binu Palal said the case was supported by “drenched” circumstantial evidence and corroborating witnesses.

He argued that, taken together with what he described as Davis’ incriminating and consistent accounts, the evidence pointed to Davis’ guilt. Palal told jurors that Davis had repeatedly said for years that he was responsible for Shakur’s murder, including in accounts to police, television interviews, books, YouTube appearances and on the pages of his self-published memoir.

Palal urged the jury to find Davis guilty, saying Davis had told multiple audiences about the killing.

The defence, represented by Michael Sanft, said the prosecution’s case at this stage relied largely on Davis’ alleged confessions. Sanft argued that three decades after the shooting, prosecutors lacked “real evidence” to support Davis’ claims and urged jurors to return a verdict of not guilty.

He asked why the case had reached trial if Davis had truly confessed, and maintained that the evidence presented did not justify a conviction.

Jurors retired on Monday after a long day of closing arguments, pausing briefly for a bathroom break and for a cough lozenge for Davis from Judge Kierny’s personal stash.

Join the discussion?

1 September 2026

View full article