A former gang leader has been charged by US police in connection with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, marking a significant development in a long-standing case that has continued to capture public attention.
Tupac Shakur, the iconic hip-hop legend hailing from New York, was fatally shot four times at the age of 25 in a drive-by attack that occurred in Las Vegas.
On Friday, a grand jury in Nevada indicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis, now 60 years old, on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon. Authorities allege that Davis orchestrated the deadly shooting in retaliation for a casino altercation between his nephew and Shakur.
Davis was taken into custody near his residence in Las Vegas early on Friday and is expected to appear in court in the coming days. The Las Vegas police (LVMPD) have released his mugshot.
Greg Kading, a retired Los Angeles police detective who dedicated years to investigating Shakur’s murder, expressed little surprise at Davis’ arrest, noting that all other direct participants or conspirators had since passed away. Kading referred to Davis as “the last man standing” in the case.
During court proceedings, prosecutor Marc DiaGiacomo described Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang, as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who had “ordered the death” of Shakur.
At a subsequent news conference, police officer Jason Johansson stated that the persistence of law enforcement in the investigation had finally yielded results. Johansson recounted an incident in which Orlando Anderson, the suspect’s late nephew, had a confrontation with Shakur at a casino shortly before the rapper’s fatal shooting on September 7, 1996. Shakur succumbed to his injuries in the days that followed.
Johansson presented security camera footage from a hotel that showed Anderson being assaulted, leading to the retaliatory shooting of Shakur as he waited in his car at a traffic light. He emphasized that this was evidently a gang-related crime from the outset and that the case had undergone numerous reviews.
However, it wasn’t until 2018 when fresh information emerged that the case regained momentum. Johansson also referenced Davis’s “own admissions” to media outlets regarding his presence in the vehicle from which the shots were fired.
During the same press conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill, visibly moved, acknowledged the lengthy wait for justice by Tupac Shakur’s family. He stressed the commitment of the LVMPD to hold those responsible for Shakur’s violent murder accountable.
“There have 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 was simply not the case.”
“Our goal at LVMPD has always been to hold those… responsible for Tupac’s violent murder accountable,” the sheriff added
Tupac Shakur, known by his stage name 2Pac, released his debut album in 1991 and became one of the most celebrated figures in hip-hop. His tragic death has inspired numerous documentaries. Shakur’s contributions to music and film, along with his chart-topping hits like “California Love,” “All Eyez On Me,” and “Changes,” have left an enduring legacy.
In June of the current year, the late rapper was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.