TBS Report
14 October, 2026, 07:10 pm
Last modified: 14 October, 2026, 07:12 pm
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for his role in orchestrating the 1996 murder of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur.
Davis, 63, appeared in a Nevada court on Tuesday, 13 October, where a judge handed him consecutive sentences of 20 years to life for first-degree murder and an additional 20 years to life for using a deadly weapon.
The sentencing follows Davis' conviction in late August, concluding a weeks-long trial in Las Vegas nearly three decades after Shakur was fatally shot.
Prosecutors argued that Davis orchestrated the drive-by shooting on 7 September 1996, handing a firearm to the gunman responsible for killing the rapper. Investigators believe the shooter was either Davis' nephew, Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson, or another man inside the vehicle.
During the trial, prosecutors cited Davis' statements to law enforcement, media outlets and in his memoir as evidence of his involvement. Prosecutor Binu Palal argued that Davis had repeatedly acknowledged responsibility for the killing over the years.
However, Davis' defence attorney, Michael Sanft, maintained that the case relied heavily on his client's own statements rather than conclusive evidence. Sanft also announced plans to appeal the sentence.
Before the judge delivered the decision, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo urged the court to impose the maximum possible punishment, citing Davis' criminal history.
Members of Shakur's family also addressed the court. His sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, spoke emotionally about the lasting psychological trauma caused by her brother's death and the decades her family had spent without him. His other sibling, Maurice, also called for the maximum sentence, highlighting the devastating impact of the murder on their family and Shakur's fans.
Shakur was shot four times at a red light in Paradise, Nevada, on 7 September 1996, following an evening that included attending a Mike Tyson boxing match. He died six days later, aged 25.
The case became one of the most prominent unresolved murders in hip-hop history before Davis' conviction in 2026.