Former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, marking the first conviction in a nearly 30-year-old case that has captivated hip-hop fans and generated countless theories.
A jury found Davis guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon in connection with Shakur’s death in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.
Davis, 63, stood impassively in a Las Vegas courtroom as the verdict was read. He later said he would appeal.
During the trial, prosecutors presented a recording of a 2008 police interview in which Davis said he was inside the vehicle from which the shots were fired, but maintained that he did not fire the bullets that killed Shakur.
Prosecutors argued that Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, orchestrated the shooting and provided the gun used by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, to open fire on Shakur.
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Anderson died in an unrelated shooting in 1998 and had denied involvement in Shakur’s killing.
Prosecutors said the shooting was planned as retaliation after Anderson was involved in a fight with Shakur and members of his group in Las Vegas just hours before the rapper was killed.
As the verdict was announced Monday, Shakur’s relatives held hands, hugged and cried. His sister embraced a prosecutor after the verdict, while other family members sat nearby in tears.
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Outside the courthouse, Shakur’s devoted fans also celebrated, with some crying and cheering over the guilty verdict.
Shakur was 25 years old when he was killed at the height of his career. One of the most influential voices in rap, he has sold more than 75 million records worldwide.
His murder became one of the most famous cold cases in the United States, remaining unresolved for nearly three decades until Davis’ conviction.
