The murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis is scheduled to begin with jury selection on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, in Las Vegas. Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty to murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the 1996 killing of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur.
Duane “Keffe D” Davis and the September 7, 1996 Shooting
Prosecutors allege that Davis acted as the “shot caller” for the group that fatally shot Shakur and wounded Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight on the night of September 7, 1996. According to prosecutors, the state’s case is built largely on the defendant’s own statements, including interviews from a documentary and podcast, statements to police, and a 2019 tell-all book titled Compton Street Legend.
The “Compton Street Legend” Book
In the book, Davis wrote that he and three others drove around Las Vegas in a Cadillac to confront Shakur and Knight in retaliation for a previous fight. He wrote that after spotting Shakur in a vehicle, they pulled up next to him and that the shooting began after Shakur made an erratic move and reached beneath his seat. Davis has since claimed his prior statements were false attempts to sell books and has blamed his co-author for inserting false information.
Credibility of Davis’s Accounts
Legal experts noted an unusual dynamic in the case, as prosecutors will argue that Davis is a credible witness while defense attorneys will characterize their own client as a fraud. Prosecutors wrote in a recent filing that the state will seek to establish the credibility of Davis’s accounts because the jury will not have a getaway vehicle, surveillance video, or a murder weapon. Davis told law enforcement that he and Knight are the only two people still alive who were present that night.
The Regional Justice Center
The trial is being held at the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas and is expected to last approximately one month. Davis faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison if convicted.
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