After 30 years, the man accused of orchestrating Tupac’s murder is on trial. Here’s what to know

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, accused of murdering rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996, went on trial in Las Vegas on Monday, marking 30 years since the killing. Davis, 63, faces a single charge of murder with a deadly weapon, alleging he acted with intent to promote or further a criminal gang's interests in Shakur's death. Jailed since late 2023, Davis has pleaded not guilty.

In 2019, Davis authored a tell-all book, "Compton Street Legend," detailing his account of the night. The book's narrative, starting on September 7, 1996, describes his plan to confront Shakur and Death Row Records CEO Marion "Suge" Knight over an earlier fight, and his actions leading to the fatal encounter. This account now forms the core of the prosecution's evidence.

Although prosecutors acknowledge the book contains inaccuracies and is "salacious," they argue it generally reflects the facts of Davis's life. Davis's defense is anticipated to challenge the sections of the book that can be proven false to discredit its reliability as evidence. Davis's account suggests he provided the firearm to his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who is believed to have been the actual gunman.

However, Anderson passed away before being charged. Shakur's death has long been one of hip-hop's most notorious unsolved mysteries. The trial, expected to last about a month, is unlikely to definitively identify the shooter.