Photo Credit: Images of Tupac Shakur and Duane “Keffe D” Davis as originally published by Pulse Nigeria / Pulse.ng Story
Tupac Shakur Murder: Jury Finds Keffe D Guilty Nearly 30 Years After Killing
A Las Vegas jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder in the 1996 killing of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur — the first conviction in one of hip-hop’s longest unsolved cases.

The 63-year-old former Compton gang leader was convicted after less than three hours of deliberation, following a nearly two-week trial. He was found guilty of murder with a deadly weapon, with intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

Prosecutors told the court that Davis was not the trigger man, but the “shot caller” who facilitated the murder. They argued he handed the murder weapon to the gunman, believed to be his nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, as revenge after Anderson was assaulted by Shakur’s entourage earlier that night. Under Nevada law, someone who facilitates a murder can be convicted of the murder itself.

Much of the state’s case was built on Davis’s own past admissions in police interviews and in a memoir he authored, where he described handing his nephew the gun used in the shooting.

Davis did not testify. His attorney Michael Sanft argued his client had fabricated and exaggerated his role for money and notoriety, and that investigators failed to independently verify his claims.

During trial, testimony also surfaced alleging a link to Sean “Diddy” Combs. According to testimony reported by Rolling Stone and referenced in court, Combs allegedly arranged for money to be passed to Davis through an intermediary named Zip Martin as payment tied to the killing. The arrangement reportedly fell apart when Martin, who was in poor health, never followed through. Combs has consistently denied any involvement in Shakur’s death and has not been charged in connection with the testimony.

Judge Carli Kierny ordered Davis held without bail pending sentencing on October 13, where he faces a possible life sentence without parole. After the verdict, Davis calmly requested his personal belongings, including his phone and laptop, and indicated he intends to appeal.

The verdict comes just two weeks before the September 13 anniversary of Shakur’s death.
Source: Pulse Nigeria