Updated on: August 31, 2026 / 8:41 PM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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A jury has found Duane "Keffe D" Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, marking the first conviction in a case that has gripped hip-hop fans for decades. Davis, 63, was convicted Monday on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in Shakur's killing, and could be sentenced to life in prison. He had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution said Monday night that the state would dismiss the gang enhancement part of the charge due to witness logistics.The jury reached its verdict in less than three hours after a weekslong trial.After the verdict was read, Shakur's sister, Sekyiwa "Set" Shakur, cried and reached back to a person behind her. Also in the courtroom was Davis' son, who covered his face with one hand.Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told jurors in closing arguments that Davis acquired a gun and "went hunting" for Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight after they beat up Davis' nephew earlier that night.Palal acknowledged that Davis' accounts of the killing evolved over the years but argued those differences reflected Davis' changing motivations and efforts to protect himself. One critical detail, he said, remained consistent: Davis repeatedly placed himself inside a white Cadillac from which the shots were fired."The core facts remain. The material facts remain," Palal said.
