Tupac Shakur murder suspect appears in court

Our live coverage has ended. Read more about Duane Keith Davis’ first court appearance in connection with the 1996 fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur below. 

Las Vegas Metro Police Department investigators say Duane Davis’ own words reignited the investigation into Tupac Shakur’s death, leading to Friday’s arrest. 

Davis admitted his role in the murder to police in 2009, but because it came as part of a proffer agreement, which precluded any of the statements being used against him, he was not charged according to a former police detective who investigated the case. 

Kading was a former Los Angeles police detective who spent years probing the murder of Shakur and wrote about it in a memoir.

“He had a proffer agreement, so we couldn’t utilize that information that he was providing against him.” Kading said.

A proffer is an agreement between a prosecutor and a suspect in which the individual agrees to provide the government with potentially useful information regarding an investigation, however, the statements made generally cannot be used as evidence against the person.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Jason Johansson said Friday at a news conference that Davis had spoken to “numerous different media outlets,” which helped with the investigation. Davis also participated in a 2018 Netflix documentary on the Shakur homicide and released his own memoir.

Following a short court apperance for Duane Keith Davis, the 60-year-old man arrested last week in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was asked why it has taken so long for this case to reach this stage. Wolfson said, “This case is like no other case.”

“In a court of law, we have to present sufficient legal evidence to hopefully prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” Wolfson said during a brief press conference outside the Las Vegas courthouse. “Any case that’s 27 years old, sometimes that presents some challenges, but we feel very confident that the criminal justice system will work in this case.”

Wolfson called the investigation into Tupac’s murder an “important case” and said the DA’s office “wanted to make sure we did it right.”

Duane Keith Davis appears in court on Wednesday, October 4.

Duane Keith Davis could not be arraigned during this morning’s scheduled court appearance without an attorney present, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told reporters outside of the courtroom.

“Nothing will occur in the next couple of weeks until the next court appearance when his lawyer appears,” he said, adding Davis is being held on no bail until at least his next court appearance.

The arraignment of Duane Keith Davis, the 60-year-old man arrested last week in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, has been delayed to Thursday, October 19, the judge announced in court.

Duane Keith Davis is led into the courtroom on Wednesday, October 4.

Duane Keith Davis, aka “Keffe D,” made his first appearance in court in connection with the 1996 fatal shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur.

Davis was expected to be arraigned on a charge of murder with use of a deadly weapon in a gang-related homicide. But when he appeared in court, dressed in a Clark County Detention Center jumpsuit, Davis said his defense attorney needed two weeks.

Davis was arrested last week after a grand jury indicted him on charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon in connection with the murder, Las Vegas authorities announced. He is the only suspect in the case still alive, police said.

CNN’s Dakin Andone contributed reporting to this post.

A grand jury has indicted Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis on charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, Las Vegas authorities announced last week.

Officials said Davis is expected to appear in court Wednesday for a hearing to determine his custody status and set a jury trial date.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson speaks during a news conference on Friday, September 29, 2023, in Las Vegas.

Police believe that Duane Keith Davis, the man arrested in connection to the murder of Tupac Shakur, orchestrated a plan to commit the crime with several other people.

A grand jury indicted Davis on charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in connection to the 1996 killing.

“I think the best way to characterize that is Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out to commit this crime,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said.

Even if Davis was not the one that shot Shakur, under Nevada law he can still be charged with murder, Las Vegas, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said. This is because of the state’s aiding and abetting statute, he said.

He said that is “one of the theories in this case as well.”

Johansson said police believe Davis obtained the gun that was used from a “close associate,” but declined to give any more details, saying they would come out during the trial.

Davis is set to appear in court in the next few days when a date for that jury trial will be set, police said.

Tupac Shakur in 1994.

The 60-year-old man arrested last week in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur is set to appear Wednesday in court in Las Vegas to be arraigned on a charge of murder with use of a deadly weapon in a gang-related homicide. 

Duane Keith Davis, known as “Keffe D,” is accused of orchestrating the shooting that cut short the life of the 25-year-old trailblazer, whose brief, prolific career cemented his legacy as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time. His untimely death added a grim layer to that mystique, and for years it had been the subject of conspiracy theories. 

Shakur’s slaying also was the subject of a decadeslong investigation by police that culminated last week with Davis’ arrest following his indictment by a grand jury. He is the only suspect in the case still alive, police said. 

For years, Davis has placed himself at the scene of the crime, stating publicly he was in the front seat of a white Cadillac when it pulled up alongside Shakur’s car and shots rang out from the back seat. Shakur was shot four times and died six days later.

Authorities have cast Davis as the alleged ringmaster of the plot to kill Shakur, which they contend was retaliation for an attack on Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson, that stemmed from a broader conflict between two gangs in Compton, California.

Duane Keith Davis was arrested in connection with the 1996 fatal shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur.

Duane Davis is the only living suspect related to the investigation of rapper Tupac Shakur’s murder, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Jason Johansson said at a Friday news conference.

“All other three suspects are deceased,” he said.

Davis was indicted Friday on charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon in connection with the 1996 killing, authorities said.