Man Who Orchestrated Tupac Shakur Murder Sentenced to 40 Years to Life in Prison

Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for his role in orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Ahead of sentencing, Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, gave an emotional statement to the court about her late brother’s murder.

He also repeatedly claimed the shooting was organized as retaliation for the rapper’s entourage attacking Davis’ nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson at an M Grand boxing match in Las Vegas earlier that night—itself a retaliation for a fight in Los Angeles involving Anderson and an associate of Death Row founder Suge Knight.

Seeking retribution on behalf of his nephew, Davis soon “went hunting” for Shakur and Knight, Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal said during the trial’s closing arguments, per AP.

Shakur and Knight were later shot while sitting at a red light. The 25-year-old Shakur died six days later from his injuries, while Knight was injured but survived.

Davis is the last surviving member of the four men who prosecutors said were in the Cadillac. In one critical 2008 interview as part of a proffer agreement, Davis told investigators that it was his nephew who fired the shots that killed Shakur.

The deal was later voided and used as evidence in the Shakur case.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis (Getty Images)CommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyDuane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for his role in orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur.

Ahead of sentencing, Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, gave an emotional statement to the court about her late brother’s murder. “The loss of Tupac crippled my family emotionally,” she said.

In 2023, Davis was arrested after admitting in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, and in earlier interviews that he was in the car when Shakur was gunned down, but was not the one to pull the trigger.

In one critical 2008 interview as part of a proffer agreement, Davis told investigators that it was his nephew who fired the shots that killed Shakur. “He rolled down the window, popped ’em,” Davis said to officials.