Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of the 1996 murder of rapper and actor Tupac Shakur, according to ABC News. The verdict was reached after less than three hours of jury deliberation. Davis faced a charge of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang.
Prosecutors did not contend that Davis, 63, was the individual who fired the fatal shots during the September 7, 1996, drive-by near the Las Vegas Strip. Instead, the prosecution argued that he orchestrated the event and provided the weapon to the shooter within their vehicle. It is alleged that Davis's nephew, Orlando Anderson, or another passenger in the car, carried out the shooting. Anderson was killed in 1998 in an unrelated gang shootout in Compton, California.
"For nearly 18 years, Duane Davis has told the police, television, books, YouTube interviewers – anybody that will listen, he has told – he is responsible for the murder of Tupac Shakur," prosecutor Binu Palal stated to the jury. "Tell him you hear him – find him guilty."
Davis is now facing a potential maximum sentence of life in prison.
Tupac Shakur remains a highly influential figure in rap history, releasing four solo studio albums before his death, beginning with his 1991 debut, "2Pacalypse Now." He also had a notable acting career in the 1990s, with his first starring role in the 1992 film "Juice." He later appeared in "Poetic Justice" alongside Janet Jackson and the 1994 sports drama "Above the Rim." Shakur made posthumous appearances in films released in 1996 and 1997, including "Bullet," "Gridlock’d," and "Gang Related."
In an unexpected development, Shakur is also slated to make his video game debut in 2027's "Stranger Than Heaven." RGG studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama has addressed concerns regarding Tupac's inclusion in the game, confirming that both his estate and family have approved the use of his likeness. The game is reportedly set to be voiced by an actor, with no AI assistance used for Tupac's performance.