Ex‑gang boss Duane “Keffe D” Davis sentenced to 40 years for Tupac murder

Former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur.

The jury convicted the 63‑year‑old in September on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon for the drive‑by shooting in Las Vegas on 7 September 1996. Davis did not fire the weapon himself, but prosecutors said he was the ringleader who supplied the gun used by his nephew Orlando Anderson.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo highlighted Davis’s public bragging about his role, describing the impact of Shakur’s death as “wide‑ranging”. Shakur’s sister Sekyiwa and brother Maurice both addressed the court, urging the judge to impose the maximum term.

Judge Carli Kierny sentenced Davis after hearing his brief response – “I’m good. I’m gonna appeal this case for sure.” – and warned that the world would never forget Tupac’s legacy.

The conviction marks the first successful prosecution in a case that has remained a high‑profile cold case for nearly three decades. Evidence included Davis’s own statements in a 2008 police interview and details from his 2019 memoir, which voided a prior protective agreement with authorities.

Source: BBC News. Photo: Michael D Beckwith / Pexels.