Nearly three decades after the killing of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur, a Las Vegas jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the 1996 shooting that shocked the world of hip-hop.
Davis, 63, was convicted on Monday, August 31, 2026, after jurors deliberated for nearly three hours following an 11-day trial. Prosecutors accused him of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that targeted Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996.
Although Davis was not accused of pulling the trigger, prosecutors argued that he helped organise the attack and obtained the firearm used in the shooting. The jury ultimately found him guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon.
A central part of the prosecution’s case was Davis’ own statements about the killing. Over the years, he gave interviews, spoke with investigators and discussed his alleged involvement in his 2019 memoir. Prosecutors also presented recordings and other statements as evidence linking him to the planning of the attack.
Davis’ defence argued that his accounts had been exaggerated or fabricated for financial gain and publicity. His lawyer also challenged the lack of forensic and eyewitness evidence directly placing Davis at the scene of the shooting.
The case remained one of the most enduring mysteries in popular music. Shakur, widely known as Tupac, was 25 when he was shot while riding in a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight. Shakur died six days later from his injuries.
The killing became closely associated with the violent East Coast-West Coast rivalry that dominated American hip-hop during the 1990s and fuelled years of speculation and conspiracy theories.
Davis’ conviction marks the first murder conviction in the nearly 30-year-old Tupac Shakur case, bringing a major legal development to one of the most famous unsolved killings in music history.
Following the verdict, Davis was ordered to remain in custody without bail. He faces a possible life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for October 13, 2026. Davis has indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction.
The verdict provides a significant development in a case that has captivated Tupac’s millions of fans for decades, although questions surrounding the full circumstances of the killing and the roles of others connected to the attack continue to attract public interest.
The related 1997 killing of fellow rap icon The Notorious B.I.G., another major mystery from the era’s hip-hop rivalry, remains unsolved.
