Ex‑Gang Boss Convicted of Orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Murder

Former gang boss Duane "Keffe D" Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder of rap superstar Tupac Shakur – the first conviction in a cold case that has intrigued hip‑hop fans for nearly 30 years.

The jury found Davis guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon for the rap star’s death in a drive‑by shooting in Las Vegas on 7 September 1996.

Standing in a black suit, the 63‑year‑old did not flinch as the verdict was read and quipped that he would appeal.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Davis – a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang – did not fire the gun himself, but ordered the shooting and supplied the weapon that his nephew Orlando Anderson used to shoot Shakur’s entourage.

Anderson, who died in an unrelated shooting in 2008, had denied involvement.

Shakur was 25 when he was slain at the height of his career as one of rap’s most influential voices, with more than 75 million records sold worldwide.

For 30 years the case had been one of America’s most famous cold cases, sparking countless conspiracies – but never a conviction, until now.

The key evidence in the case were Davis’ own words, in which he repeatedly and publicly acknowledged being inside the white Cadillac from where the deadly shots were fired. He told authorities about his role during a 2008 police interview linked to the death of fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Davis elaborated further in his 2019 memoir “Compton Street Legend”. Those statements voided a protective agreement that had previously shielded him from criminal charges.

Prosecutor Binu Palal urged jurors in closing arguments to trust Davis’s own testimony, describing him as the “shot caller” and insisting that “when the shot caller sits shotgun when shots are fired, there’s no doubt he is responsible.”

In defense, lawyer Michael Sanft warned of the money motive behind Davis’s public admissions, attempting to paint him as a liar eager to sell books and podcasts. Yet within hours of the verdict, the jury closed the case.

Judge Carli Kierny set sentencing for 13 October and the court noted Davis’s intention to appeal. He was also allowed to retrieve personal items from the courtroom before leaving.

For all the latest trial updates, follow the BBC Sounds “Fame Under Fire: The Tupac Murder Trial” podcast available wherever you get your BBC podcasts.