The Untold Secrets Surrounding Tupac Shakur's Murder - Unveiling the Real Suspect
Competitor's description: As far back as 1998, Duane Keith Davis was telling a cable channel that he was a front-seat passenger in a car from which a fellow passenger fired the shots that killed Tupac Shakur Better description: Duane Keith Davis, known as the alleged shot caller, has consistently placed himself at the crime scene where Tupac Shakur was fatally shot His self-incriminating statements and seized items in a recent search have further solidified his involvement, inevitably leading him to jail
Duane Keith Davis, also known as "Keffe D," claimed to be seated in the front of a car where another passenger fired the fatal shots that ended Tupac Shakur's life, as early as 1998. According to a former detective involved in the investigation, Davis confessed to his involvement in the crime in 2009. However, due to unknown reasons, authorities were unable to act on this information immediately.
Following a revitalized investigation, authorities apprehended Davis, aged 60, in Las Vegas on Friday. A grand jury subsequently charged him with murder, including the use of a deadly weapon. This arrest took place nearly three decades after the rapper was fatally shot while departing a boxing match on the Las Vegas Strip.
Tupac Shakur is pictured attending the "Cowboy Noir - Red Rock West" Party at Club USA in New York City on April 2, 1994. The photo was taken by Ron Galella, Ltd. and is part of the Ron Galella Collection, available via Getty Images.
Suspect apprehended for the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996
Law enforcement revealed on Friday that the shooting which occurred on September 7, 1996, was an act of revenge against the renowned 25-year-old artist. Officials claim that Davis meticulously devised and coordinated the attack within a few hours, following an earlier altercation between the rapper and Davis' nephew.
According to the police, Davis is the sole surviving suspect in the case. In his memoir, Davis claims to be one of two living witnesses, the other being a record-label executive who was driving Shakur.
During a news conference on Friday, Jason Johansson, a lieutenant in the Las Vegas police homicide division, stated that over the past five years, they have conducted numerous interviews and verified various facts. These facts not only align with the crime scene on the night of the incident but also support the sequence of events that transpired that night.
Heres what we know about Davis, what led up to the shooting and his indictment and arrest.
Duane Keith "Keffe D" Davis has been charged in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Davis was the shot caller, police say
Shakurs shootingstems from a conflict between two gangs based in Compton, California, police said Friday.
Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records, were connected to the Mob Piru gang in Compton, according to Johansson. Davis was associated with the Southside Compton Crips, he mentioned.
Shakur had traveled to Las Vegas to witness a Mike Tyson boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel, where Davis and his nephew Orlando Anderson were also present.
Following the match, representatives from Death Row Records encountered Anderson by the elevator bank within the hotel. They proceeded to physically assault him, as confirmed by Johansson during the news conference held on Friday. Surveillance footage from the hotel was presented, clearly showing Shakur and Knight among the individuals involved in the attack.
Once the altercation was over, both parties left the hotel premises. Shakur and his associates then proceeded to attend a post-fight event at a nightclub.
Upon hearing about the assault on his nephew, Davis immediately started strategizing how he could acquire a firearm and seek retribution against Suge Knight and Mr. Shakur, according to Johansson.
Following successful acquisition of a gun "from a trusted acquaintance," Davis joined Terrence Brown, Deandre Smith, and Anderson in a white Cadillac, as explained by Johansson. While inside the vehicle, Davis passed the gun "to the individuals seated in the back," Johansson added.
The group ultimately located the car which Shakur and Knight were traveling in. They drove parallel to their black BMW, and shots were fired from the Cadillac into the BMW, hitting Shakur four times. Authorities confirmed that the rapper passed away six days later.
"Duane Davis served as the mastermind behind this criminal organization. He planned and executed the crime," Johansson stated.
According to the indictment against Davis, both Anderson and Smith were present in the back of the Cadillac; however, it does not specify the individual responsible for pulling the trigger. Anderson, who denied any involvement in the homicide, stated this to CNN before his death in a shooting incident connected to gang activity in 1998. Knight is currently serving a prison sentence for a separate manslaughter charge.
Davis placed himself at crime scene
In a 1998 interview with BET, Davis said he was in the front seat of the car from which the shots were fired.
Davis responded, "I'm going to maintain loyalty to the code of the streets," when questioned about the identity of the person who fired the gun. He further added, "It originated from the rear seat, my friend."
According to Greg Kading, a former police detective who conducted the investigation, Davis eventually admitted to his involvement in the 2009 shooting over a decade later.
However, Kading told CNN on Friday that the statement provided by him cannot be utilized as evidence due to it being made under a "proffer agreement." This agreement entails a suspect agreeing to offer potentially valuable information during an investigation, but the statements made are generally inadmissible as evidence against the suspect.
Furthermore, a memoir written by Davis, which was confiscated during a police search of Davis' wife's Nevada residence in July, highlights Davis and Knight as the sole surviving witnesses to Shakur's shooting.
Items seized in July search
Police Seize Electronics and Media Related to Shakur During Home SearchAt the time, authorities were in search of an array of materials related to the investigation into the murder of Tupac Shakur. These materials encompassed various forms, such as notes, writings, ledgers, and both handwritten or typed documents pertaining to television shows, documentaries, YouTube episodes, book manuscripts, and movies. This information was mentioned in an affidavit that had been filed to obtain a search warrant.
Davis talked himself right into jail
Rapper Tupac Shakur poses for photos backstage after his performance at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois, in March 1994.
The Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.
The case, which has been ongoing for many decades, regained significant attention in 2018 due to Davis publicly discussing it and the revelation of new information, according to officials.
Davis' admission of his involvement in the homicide investigation, which he shared with various media outlets, played a significant role in reigniting the investigation, Johansson stated on Friday. In 2018, Davis took part in a Netflix documentary about the Shakur homicide, and he also published his memoir in 2019.
"He openly started bragging about his role in the murder in public, prompting law enforcement in Las Vegas to reevaluate his statements. Consequently, he ended up incriminating himself and getting arrested," revealed Kading, the ex-detective, in his conversation with CNN.
According to Johansson, "This was probably our final opportunity to thoroughly investigate and ultimately solve this case, resulting in a successful prosecution."
CNNs Kyung Lah, Jason Kravarik, Josh Campbell, Alishia Ebrahimji, Cheri Mossburg and Scott Glover contributed to this report.
