The Las Vegas authorities have announced that a grand jury has indicted Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis on charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis, who is 60 years old, was arrested in Las Vegas on Friday morning. The ongoing investigation into the shooting led to a search of his wife’s Henderson home in July. The murder of Tupac Shakur, who was only 25 years old at the time of his death, has been the subject of conspiracy theories and a decadeslong investigation.
During a news conference, authorities described Davis as the orchestrator of a plot to kill Shakur as revenge for an attack on his nephew. Davis has consistently stated that he was present at the scene of the crime, claiming that he was in the front seat of the white Cadillac that pulled up beside Shakur’s car when shots were fired from the back seat, ultimately killing the rapper. Shakur was shot four times and died six days later.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated at the news conference, “For 27 years, the family of Tupac Shakur has been waiting for justice.” He also acknowledged the extensive work and countless hours put in by the homicide section of their department over the decades to bring the case to this point.
According to Jason Johansson, the police department’s homicide lieutenant, the murder was a retaliatory attack following a conflict between two gangs based in Compton, California. Shakur and Marion “Suge” Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records, were affiliated with the Mob Piru gang in Compton, while Davis was affiliated with the Southside Compton Crips. Johansson stated that Shakur’s murder was a result of an incident that occurred inside the MGM Grand Hotel, where members of Death Row Records assaulted Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson. Shakur and Knight were seen participating in the attack.
After learning about the assault on Anderson, Davis formed a plan to obtain a firearm and retaliate against Knight and Shakur. Along with Terrence Brown, Deandre Smith, and Anderson, Davis acquired a gun from a close associate and got into a white Cadillac. While in the vehicle, Davis provided the gun to the passengers in the back seat. They located the black BMW carrying Shakur and Knight, shot at them through the window, and quickly fled the scene. Davis was identified as the leader of this group.
All other individuals associated with the crime, including Anderson, have since died. Anderson, who denied his involvement in the murder prior to his death in 1998, was killed in a shooting related to gang activity. The police had known the basics of what occurred that night, but lacked sufficient evidence to pursue charges until their reinvigorated focus on the case in 2018. Davis’ admissions regarding the crime in his memoir provided crucial information for the investigation.
Tupac’s stepbrother, Mopreme Shakur, expressed mixed feelings about Davis’ arrest, stating that they had known about him for years and questioned why action wasn’t taken earlier. He also expressed a desire to learn why and if there were any accomplices involved in the murder.
Tupac Shakur’s career was influential and left a significant impact on music, style, and culture. Born in Harlem, New York, on June 16, 1971, he was raised by his single mother, former Black Panther member Afeni Shakur. Shakur’s family moved frequently before settling in Marin City, California, with Oakland being considered his home. He signed with Death Row Records after co-founder and CEO Marion “Suge” Knight offered to pay his bail while serving a prison sentence. Shakur released 11 platinum albums, including four during his five-year career and seven posthumously. He was known for his socially conscious lyrics that addressed issues such as racial inequality, poverty, and gang violence. Shakur also had a highly publicized feud with East Coast rapper Biggie Smalls, who was also murdered at a young age in a case that remains unsolved.