Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the 1996 killing of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur.
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The 63-year-old was sentenced by Judge Carli Kierny, who ruled that he would receive credit for the time he has already spent in custody.
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Davis was convicted in August of murder with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors had accused him of carrying out the killing to promote, further or assist a criminal gang, although they said the gang-related portion of the charge would be dismissed. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During his sentencing hearing, Davis spoke briefly in court, asking for some of the belongings police seized from his home, including his photographs, to be returned to him. He told the judge that he had nothing else to say.
Following the sentencing, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said justice had been served for the late rapper and his family.
“Today, justice has been served for Tupac Shakur and his loved ones,” Wolfson said in a statement.
“While no amount of time in prison can bring Tupac back, we hope this sentencing brings some measure of closure and peace to his family after nearly 30 years. This case is a reminder that no matter how much time passes, our commitment to seeking justice never wavers.”
Shakur remains one of the most influential figures in hip-hop history. He died on September 13, 1996, six days after being shot while sitting in a vehicle at a red light in Las Vegas on September 7.
For years, the identity of those responsible for the shooting remained a major mystery. The case took a significant turn after Davis began speaking publicly about his presence inside a white Cadillac that investigators said had pulled up alongside Shakur’s vehicle on the night of the shooting.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Davis had gone “hunting” for Shakur in retaliation against the rapper and Marion “Suge” Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal said Davis shot Shakur after the rapper and Knight had beaten up Davis’ nephew.
Prosecutors acknowledged that Davis had changed some details in his accounts over the years. However, they argued that key elements remained consistent, including his claim that he was inside the white Cadillac from which the fatal shots were fired.
Davis’ defence attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged the prosecution’s case, arguing that no evidence apart from his client’s own statements placed him in Las Vegas on the night of the shooting. He also pointed to the absence of surveillance footage, phone records and other physical evidence that could independently establish Davis’ presence at the scene.
Prosecutors said four men were inside the white Cadillac during the shooting. By the time Davis was arrested in 2023, he was the only surviving occupant, according to the prosecution. Another man whom prosecutors said had initially supplied the gun used in the shooting had also died.
Davis had previously described his involvement in the events leading to Shakur’s death in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend. His lawyers attempted to prevent the book from being admitted as evidence during the trial, but prosecutors opposed the request.