After a lengthy investigation and decades of speculation, authorities have apprehended and charged Duane “Keffe D” Davis, linking him to the orchestrating of rapper Tupac Shakur’s tragic 1996 murder. While not the alleged gunman, Davis, a former gang leader, has been identified as the “shot caller” by authorities. In his tell-all memoir released in 2019, titled “Compton Street Legend,” Davis openly admitted to providing the firearm used in the drive-by shooting.
The case was revived when Davis made public comments that provided the police with admissible evidence, leading to his arrest near his Las Vegas home. A Nevada grand jury subsequently indicted him on one count of murder with a deadly weapon, with the addition of a sentencing enhancement for gang activity that could potentially result in an additional 20 years if convicted.
The arrest comes more than two months after a raid on Davis’ residence, during which authorities seized items related to the investigation into Tupac Shakur’s murder. The rapper’s family, who has been seeking justice for 27 years, expressed satisfaction with the recent developments.
On September 7, 1996, Shakur was fatally shot while sitting in a BMW driven by Marion “Suge” Knight, the founder of Death Row Records. A white Cadillac pulled up alongside their vehicle at a red light near the Las Vegas Strip, and a hail of gunfire ensued. Shakur sustained multiple gunshot wounds and passed away a week later at the age of 25.
According to Davis’ memoir, he was seated in the front passenger seat of the Cadillac and admitted to placing the gun in the back seat, from where the shots were allegedly fired. He implicated his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, as one of the individuals in the backseat. Anderson, known to be a rival of Tupac Shakur, had been involved in a physical altercation with the rapper at a casino shortly before the shooting.
Prosecutors stated that Davis devised a revenge plan against Knight and Shakur in defense of his nephew following the casino incident. Anderson himself died two years later, consistently denying any involvement in Tupac Shakur’s murder.
The arrest of Davis marks a significant milestone in the case, as all other direct participants or conspirators are deceased. Former Los Angeles police detective Greg Kading, who extensively investigated the Shakur killing, expressed little surprise at Davis’ apprehension. With over 5 million copies sold, Shakur’s fourth solo album, “All Eyez on Me,” continued to dominate the charts at the time of his untimely demise. His impact and versatility as a rapper solidify his enduring legacy within the music industry.
