Tupac Shakur Murder Case Ends With Guilty Verdict After Nearly 30 Years

After nearly 30 years, the murder of Tupac Shakur has finally resulted in a conviction.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis was found guilty Monday, Aug. 31, of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed the legendary rapper. A 12-person jury reached its verdict after less than three hours of deliberation, according to the Associated Press.

Davis, 63, faces up to life in prison. He was not accused of pulling the trigger, but prosecutors argued that he orchestrated the killing and provided the firearm used in the shooting.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis Convicted in Tupac Murder

The conviction marks the biggest development in one of hip-hop's most infamous unsolved murders.

Davis was arrested in September 2023, nearly 27 years after Shakur was killed, becoming the first person charged in connection with the rapper's death. He pleaded not guilty in November 2023.

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The verdict came just days before the 30th anniversary of the shooting.

Pool, Getty Images

Shakur was shot Sept. 7, 1996, in Las Vegas while riding in a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight. A white Cadillac pulled alongside the vehicle and opened fire.

Shakur died six days later, on Sept. 13, at age 25.

Why Was Tupac Shakur Killed?

Prosecutors argued that the shooting was retaliation for a fight involving Davis' nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, earlier that night at the MGM Grand.

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Anderson was associated with the South Side Compton Crips, while Shakur and Knight were affiliated with the Bloods-connected Death Row Records. Surveillance footage shown during the trial captured the altercation, in which a group of people was seen attacking Anderson.

Prosecutors alleged that Davis, Anderson and two other men were inside the Cadillac during the shooting.

Anderson was never charged in Shakur's death. He was killed in an unrelated shooting in 1998 at age 23.

Leon Bennett, Getty Images

The gang enhancement portion of Davis' murder charge was dismissed, but the jury still found him guilty of murder with the use of a deadly weapon.

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Davis is being held without bail and has already told the judge that he plans to appeal the conviction, according to the AP.

After nearly three decades of questions surrounding one of music's most enduring mysteries, the Tupac murder case has finally reached a verdict.