Ex‑Gang Boss Convicted for Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Murder

In a landmark legal decision, former South‑Side Crip chief Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the drive‑by shooting that killed rap icon Tupac Shakur on September 7, 1996.

The jury convicted Davis of a single count of murder with a deadly weapon, as the trial established that he ordered the shooting and supplied the gun used by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, to fire the fatal shots. Davis, who appeared in a black suit at the court, said he would appeal the decision.

During the trial, prosecutors highlighted a 2008 police interview in which Davis admitted being inside the white Cadillac that launched the shots. He also detailed his role in 2019’s memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” all of which was admissible as evidence after authorities ruled his initial protective agreement could not block a criminal charge.

Davis’s defense argued that his statements had been exaggerated to boost book sales, but the jury found the testimony credible. The verdict was met with tears and cheers from Shakur’s relatives and a legion of fans outside the courtroom.

Judge Carli Kierny set the sentencing for October 13, while Davis indicated his desire to appeal the verdict. The case has closed a decade‑long mystery that once fueled endless conspiracy theories in the hip‑hop community.

For updates on the case, follow the BBC podcast “Fame Under Fire: The Tupac Murder Trial.”