LAS VEGAS—After nearly three decades of investigation, the
case of rapper Tupac Shakur’s murder reached a historic verdict: a Nevada jury
found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder, identifying him as
the mastermind behind the attack that killed the renowned artist in 1996.
Davis, 63, was found guilty of one count of first-degree
murder with the use of a deadly weapon. The Clark County jury deliberated for
approximately three hours before reaching the verdict, marking the first
conviction related to Tupac Shakur’s murder.
Prosecutors argued that Davis, a former leader of the South
Side Compton Crips gang, coordinated the attack from a vehicle following a
dispute between members of rival groups. Although Davis was not the one who
directly shot Shakur, authorities identified him as the person who provided the
weapon and organized the ambush.
Tupac Shakur was shot on the night of September 7, 1996,
while riding in a BMW with Marion “Suge” Knight in Las Vegas. The rapper died
six days later, on September 13, from the injuries he sustained in the attack.
During the trial, the prosecution presented as evidence
statements made by Davis to authorities, as well as references to his own
public statements and a book published in 2019.
The defense argued that some of these statements had been
made for financial gain and did not constitute a reliable admission of guilt.Tras
conocer el veredicto, Davis manifestó ante el juez que tiene previsto apelar la
condena.