Tupac Shakur Killing: 30 Years Later, A Conviction

Thirty years after his death, a man has been convicted in the killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur.

A Nevada jury listened to testimony for nine days and deliberated for three hours before finding Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of murder. He could face life in prison at his sentencing.

Shakur is still considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. He was in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, and stopped at a red light. A white Cadillac pulled up next to him, shots were fired, and Shakur died six days later from his injuries. Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight was also injured in the shooting.

No one was ever charged in Shakur’s death, until the defendant began making public statements that he was inside the Cadillac and gave the gun to others in the backseat. The killing was said to be in retaliation after Knight and Shakur’s entourage beat up Davis’ nephew hours earlier.

Davis was officially charged with murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang. Nevada law allows someone who helps another person commit murder to be convicted of the crime. Davis is the only person still alive among the four men believed to be in the Cadillac.

Prosecutors used Davis’ own 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” as evidence in the trial. Davis wrote about handing the gun to the back seat but did not say who fired the shots.

Davis is now 63 years old. He’s being held without bail and is set to be sentenced on October 13.

One of Tupac’s most popular song was 1995’s “California Love” featuring Dr. Dre, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart.