Final Suspect in 1996 Tupac Shakur Drive-By Shooting Indicted for Homicide

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The man accused by prosecutors of masterminding the 1996 drive-by shooting that took the life of rapper Tupac Shakur has been formally charged with murder. The indictment came on Friday, marking a significant advance in resolving one of hip-hop’s longest-standing enigmas.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, aged 60, has been on the radar of investigators since the inception of the case. Although not identified as the shooter, Davis was characterized as the “mastermind” behind the attack during a news conference and in subsequent legal proceedings on Friday.

In both media interviews and his 2019 autobiography, “Compton Street Legend,” Davis openly admitted to supplying the firearm used in the fatal shooting. Lieutenant Jason Johansson from the homicide division noted that these public admissions by Davis revitalized the investigation by furnishing police with evidence that could be admitted in court.

Davis was taken into custody early Friday morning during a stroll near his residence on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Just hours later, prosecutors disclosed that a Nevada grand jury had charged Davis, who identifies himself as a “gangster,” with a single count of first-degree murder involving a deadly weapon.

Further intensifying the seriousness of the charges, the grand jury opted to include a sentencing enhancement for gang-related activities. If convicted, this could result in an additional 20 years being added to Davis’ sentence.

This groundbreaking arrest follows more than two months after law enforcement officials conducted a search at Davis’ Henderson home, collecting items that they described as “pertinent to Tupac Shakur’s murder.”

It remains uncertain whether Davis has secured legal representation. Local attorneys and the prosecution stated they had no knowledge of who might represent him in court. Neither Davis nor his wife responded to phone calls and text messages since the police search that took place on July 17.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill announced during a Friday news conference, “For 27 years, Tupac Shakur’s family has been waiting for justice. I want to dispel any notion that this department has not prioritized this case.”

The prosecution indicated that they have informed Shakur’s family of the developments, and that the family is “satisfied with the news.”

On the evening of September 7, 1996, Shakur was in a vehicle operated by Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight. As they idled at a red light close to the Las Vegas Strip, a white Cadillac pulled alongside and a volley of bullets was unleashed. Shakur was hit multiple times and succumbed to his injuries a week later; he was 25 years old.

Davis claims in his memoir that he occupied the front passenger seat of the Cadillac, having passed the weapon to the back seat, from which the lethal shots were fired. He implicated his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, as one of the backseat passengers. Anderson, a known adversary of Shakur, had clashed with the rapper in a casino just prior to the incident.

Marc DiGiacomo, Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney, stated that following the casino altercation, “Davis devised a scheme to retaliate against Knight and Shakur on behalf of his nephew, Anderson.”

Anderson, who denied any involvement, died two years after the event.

No comments were immediately received from lawyers who had previously represented Knight, who survived the attack with only a minor injury from a bullet fragment. Currently, Knight is serving a 28-year sentence in California on an unrelated voluntary manslaughter charge.

Police have reportedly seized multiple computers, a cellphone, hard drive, a magazine featuring Shakur, several .40-caliber bullets, photographs, and a copy of Davis’ autobiography during their July 17 search.

Greg Kading, a retired Los Angeles detective who has extensively investigated Shakur’s murder and authored a book on the subject, said Davis’ arrest did not surprise him. “All other direct participants or conspirators are deceased. Keffe D is the last remaining individual among those who plotted to assassinate Tupac,” Kading noted.

Tupac Shakur, whose fourth solo album, “All Eyez on Me,” was a commercial success with around 5 million copies sold, remains an iconic figure in the rap industry. Despite his untimely death, he has been posthumously nominated for six Grammy Awards and is widely regarded as one of the most impactful and versatile rappers in history.

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More about Tupac Shakur murder indictment

• Tupac Shakur’s Biography
• Legal Definition of First-Degree Murder
• History of Death Row Records
• Nevada’s Grand Jury Procedures
• Criminal Gang Enhancements in Nevada
• The Drive-By Shooting: Explained
• Memoirs as Legal Evidence