Tupac Shakur killing: Man charged in connection with rapper’s 1996 fatal shooting

LAS VEGAS (TCD) -- A grand jury has indicted a 60-year-old man on a murder charge for his alleged role in the 1996 shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur in order to "exact revenge."

In a news conference Friday, Sept. 29, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson announced the arrest of Duane "Keffe D" Davis on a count of open murder with use of a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement. The jury had been "receiving information for months" and determined there was enough evidence to charge Davis.

The Associated Press reports Chief Deputy Assistant District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo said in court Davis allegedly “ordered the death” of the "Changes" rapper and acted as the "on-ground, on-site commander."

A Clark County judge reportedly denied Davis bail during his court hearing Friday. District Attorney Steve Wolfson told The Associated Press following the decision, "It has often been said that justice delayed is justice denied. In this case, justice has been delayed, but justice won’t be denied."

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lt. Jason Johansson, on the night of Sept. 7, 1996,  Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records, attended a Mike Tyson boxing match at the MGM Grand Arena.

Knight and Shakur were prominent members of the Mob Piru street gang, which had a rivalry with the South Side Compton Crips. Members of the Crips, including Davis and his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, also watched the Tyson bout.

Johansson called Davis the "leader and shot caller" of the Southside Compton Crips.

After the fight, members of the Death Row Records entourage saw Anderson near an elevator bank and began beating and kicking him.

Afterward, Shakur and Knight got into a black BMW and started driving to a post-boxing match party.

Johansson said at the news conference, "Little did anyone know it was this event that would lead to the retaliatory shooting."

Davis and other members of the Crips reportedly found out about the incident with Anderson, which prompted Davis to allegedly "devise a plan to obtain a firearm and retaliate against Knight and Shakur for what occurred."

Davis reportedly got a gun, and he and three others, including Anderson, got into a white Cadillac. Davis allegedly handed the gun to someone in the backseat. The Cadillac pulled up next to the passenger side of the BMW and "immediately began shooting."

The Cadillac drove off immediately after the gunfire. Shakur was taken to University Medical Center and died six days later on Sept. 13, 1996.

Johansson said the case got "reinvigorated" in 2018 when "Davis' own admissions" to media outlets led investigators back to him, and this was “likely our last time to take a run at this case to successfully solve this case and bring forth a criminal charge.”

In July, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police raided Davis' home in Henderson, Nevada, and obtained a copy of his memoir and other documents, according to The Associated Press. Anderson was reportedly considered a suspect in Shakur’s killing, but he was fatally shot two years later.

DiGiacomo reportedly argued in court that Davis "formulated a plan to exact revenge upon Mr. Knight and Mr. Shakur" following the fight.

Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said, "For 27 years the family of Tupac Shakur has been waiting for justice. While I know there’s been many people who did not believe that the murder of Tupac Shakur was important to this police department, I’m here to tell you that is simply not the case."

MORE:

• Arrest made in Tupac's murder -- Clark County officials hold news conference - KLAS
• Witness to the 1996 drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur indicted on murder charge in rapper’s death - The Associated Press
• Police seized laptops, memoir from Vegas-area home of witness to Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing, 7/20/2023 - The Associated Press
• After nearly 30 years, there’s movement in the case of Tupac Shakur’s killing. Here’s what we know, 7/18/2023 - The Associated Press