Former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been convicted for his role in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, marking the first conviction in a case that remained unresolved for almost three decades.
A Las Vegas jury found the 63-year-old guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon over the fatal drive-by shooting that claimed Shakur’s life on September 7, 1996.
Davis remained composed as the verdict was delivered in court on Monday. He later indicated that he intends to challenge the decision on appeal.
During the trial, prosecutors presented a 2008 police interview in which Davis acknowledged being inside the vehicle used in the attack. He maintained that he was not the person who pulled the trigger.
Prosecutors, however, argued that Davis played a central role in planning the killing. They alleged that he organised the attack and provided the firearm later used by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, to shoot Shakur.
Anderson, who was linked to the South Side Compton Crips, was killed in a separate shooting in 1998. He had denied having any involvement in Shakur’s death.
The verdict brought an emotional reaction from Shakur’s family members, who were present in court. Some relatives held hands, while others embraced and cried as the decision was announced.
Shakur, popularly known as 2Pac, was only 25 when he was fatally shot. He had already established himself as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, with his music continuing to attract audiences decades after his death.
The rapper has sold more than 75 million records globally, cementing his legacy as one of the genre’s most commercially successful and influential artists.
