Tupac Shakur‘s family is finally getting the justice they’ve been waiting for. Nearly 30 years after the rap superstar’s murder in Las Vegas, a jury of 12 found Duane “Keefe D” Davis guilty on Monday in a Las Vegas courtroom.
The trial went faster than many anticipated and it didn’t take long for the jury to come to their decision. Ironically, this news hits just days before the 30th anniversary of the day Tupac was shot on Flamingo Road and Koval Lane after leaving MGM Grand. He died six days after the shooting on September 13, 1996 in University Medical Center.
4On Monday evening, the jury reached their verdict in the case of Tupac’s murder after just three hours of deliberation. The trial began on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.
According to the Washington Post, Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, was “found guilty of orchestrating the shooting, even though authorities said he did not pull the trigger.”
In previous interviews and in his memoir, Davis admitted that he was seeking revenge after Tupac and his associates beat Davis’ nephew up. While Davis’ defense attorney argued that these statements shouldn’t be fully believed, the defense did not influence the jurors.
Member of Tupac’s family were in the courtroom as the verdict was read and it brought them to tears. Sentencing will take place in October.
Tupac Shakur Was Shot After Leaving The Tyson Fight In 1996
4This verdict was 30 years in the making…almost to the exact day.
Tupac was riding in a car with Marion “Suge” Knight of Death Row Records on September 7, 1996, after leaving the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon fight at MGM Grand. While stopped at a light at the intersection of Koval Lane and Flamingo Road, gunfire erupted and Tupac was shot. He was rushed to University Medical Center where he remained hospitalized until he died on September 13 at the age of 25.
The scene of the crime remains a spot many fans visit to this day. Two poles in the intersection have become a memorial for the rapper with people leaving messages and visiting.
Duane Davis Was A Longtime Person Of Interest In Tupac’s Murder
4For three decades, Tupac’s murder remained an unsolved mystery. While investigators knew details of the murder, the case stalled for decades without an arrest. In 2023, Davis was indicted on a murder charge.
The former gang member was a longtime person of interest in the case. He even publicly discussed the night of the shooting in his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend.”
In July 2023, investigators did a search of a Henderson, Nevada home connected to Davis and turned up several items, including a .40-caliber pistol, a bullet magazine, ammunition, and photos associated iwith the shooting.
Duane Davis Refused A Plea Deal Ahead Of The Trial
4Before the trial began, Davis was asked why he was refusing a plea deal. He told reporters that he “didn’t do nothing” and said he figures he will be dead in 10 years so he’s “not going to take no plea deal.”
“I’m 63. I had a cancer battle. I got three stints to my heart,” he said. “The average American lives to be like 74 years old. Ten years, I’m dead. So why would I want to take a plea deal?”
According to KLAS Las Vegas, in the interview with 8 News Now Investigators, Davis talked about his memoir where he confesses to the murder of Tupac. When he was asked if he believed he was responsible for the murder, he pointed to prosecution witness Reggie Wright Jr., accusing him of lying and “tell[ing] stories.”
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.