Nearly 30 years after the death of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, the closely watched murder case has reached a major turning point.
A Las Vegas jury has found 63-year-old Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty in connection with Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder.
The verdict was delivered on Monday, August 31, 2026, after the jury deliberated for approximately three hours.
Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. It is the first conviction in Tupac's murder case, which for decades remained one of the biggest mysteries in hip-hop history.
What Happened to Tupac?
Tupac Shakur was shot in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, while travelling in a car with Marion “Suge” Knight after attending boxer Mike Tyson's fight.
A white Cadillac pulled up alongside the vehicle carrying Tupac before shots were fired. Tupac was struck multiple times and died in hospital six days later, on September 13, 1996, at the age of 25.
For years, no one was brought to trial over the killing despite numerous investigations and theories surrounding what happened that night.
Why Was Keffe D Found Guilty?
Prosecutors portrayed Davis as the person who organised and coordinated the revenge attack.
According to the prosecution, the shooting was linked to an earlier confrontation that night involving Tupac and members of his entourage and Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis's nephew.
The prosecution did not allege that Davis personally fired the shots. Instead, they argued that he helped plan and direct the attack. Under Nevada law, a person who participates in planning a murder can be held responsible for the killing even if they were not the person who physically fired the weapon.
Key Evidence Against Keffe D
One of the most significant elements of the case was Davis's own statements.
Over the years, Davis had spoken about the incident in interviews, television programmes and in his 2019 book, Compton Street Legend.
Prosecutors used those statements as part of their evidence, along with records obtained during the investigation. They argued that Davis had admitted or described his role in the incident on multiple occasions.
However, the defence challenged that evidence. Davis's lawyer argued that some of his statements were made to build his public profile, make money or protect his interests, and that his accounts were not reliable evidence of what actually happened.
What Did the Jury Decide?
After hearing evidence and arguments from both sides during a trial that lasted approximately two weeks, the jury reached its verdict after less than three hours of deliberation.
Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon.
This marks the first official conviction in the murder of Tupac Shakur. Davis was not accused of being the person who pulled the trigger, but he was convicted based on his alleged role in organising the attack.
When Will He Be Sentenced?
Davis faces the possibility of life in prison, with sentencing reportedly scheduled for October 13, 2026.
Davis has also indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction.
