Ex-gang boss Duane “Keffe D” Davis found guilty in 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur

Former gang leader Duane "Keffe D" Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, marking the first conviction in the long-standing cold case. The jury convicted Davis of one count of murder with a deadly weapon for Shakur's death during a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The 63-year-old Davis appeared impassive in court as the verdict was read, stating he would appeal the decision.

Shakur's relatives were visibly emotional, holding hands and crying. Shakur, a prominent figure in rap with over 75 million records sold, was killed at the height of his career. Prosecutors argued that Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips gang, did not personally fire the gun but ordered the shooting and supplied the weapon used by his nephew Orlando Anderson.

The case remained a cold case for 30 years, despite numerous conspiracy theories, until now. The murder occurred amid intense rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rap scenes and gang feuds between Bloods and Crips within hip-hop culture at the time. Key evidence included Davis' own admissions about being in the white Cadillac where the fatal shots were fired, revealed in a 2008 police interview and later in his 2019 memoir.