Duane "Keefe D" Davis was convicted of the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur/Screenshot from the movie (Poetic Justice)

Duane “Keefe D” Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon for orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas on Monday.

Davis published a book titled Compton Street Legend in 2019, detailing his involvement in the shooting of Tupac on the Las Vegas Strip.

Duane "Keefe D" Davis/Las Vegas Police Department

In a 2008 interview with the police, the former gang member stated that he gave his nephew, Orlando Anderson, the gun that killed Tupac. Over the years, Keefe D has participated in several interviews where he discusses the circumstances surrounding the rapper’s death and provides related details.

According to Keefe’s account of the shooting to The Art of Dialogue podcast, Orlando, who was a Crip gang member, was in a physical altercation with Tupac and others, some of whom were Blood gang members, at the MGM hotel before the shooting.

He said after leaving the MGM, he and his car’s occupants later spotted Pac on Flamingo Street and made a U-turn, then pulled up next to Suge and Pac’s vehicle, opening fire on their car. Keefe said the 25-year-old rapper looked like he was trying to get in the back seat of the vehicle when shots rang out.

Tupac and Suge Knight (moments before the shooting)/public domain

The 63-year-old is the only survivor from the four men in his vehicle who can account for what happened. His nephew, Orlando, reportedly died two years after the shooting.

Davis' trial started August 10. The jury deliberated for roughly 3 hours before finding him guilty on Monday.

His attorneys argued that Davis fabricated the stories he told about Tupac in interviews for media attention and book sales, and was not at the scene of the crime.

He will be sentenced on October 13, 2026.

Tupac’s family, his step-brother Mopreme Shakur, his sister Sekyiwa Shakur, and the social media page for his late stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, all posted a unified message about the jury’s deliberation yesterday on social media, stating:

Above all, we honor Afeni Shakur-a mother whose strength and unshakable belief in her son's truth carried this fight long before any of us knew where it would lead.

The family of Tupac Amaru Shakur is elated and relieved by today's verdict. We would like to thank the jury for thoughtfully fulfilling their duty and carefully listening to all the evidence.

Our deepest appreciation goes out to our family, friends, loved ones and all of Tupac's fans, who have always provided their love and support.

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