Duane Davis sentenced in Las Vegas for Tupac Shakur murder

Duane “Keffe D” Davis received 40 years to life in prison Tuesday in Las Vegas. The penalty resolves the fatal 1996 drive-by shooting of rap star Tupac Shakur.

Davis, 63, was convicted in August of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. He is the only person ever charged in the death of Shakur.

Prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo said Tuesday that Davis is guaranteed to die behind bars. He told the court that Davis tried to profit from the slaying and deserved the maximum term.

“It’s not just about losing a family member,” DiGiacomo said in court.

Davis spoke briefly during the proceeding. He asked Judge Carli Kierny for items police seized from his home, including his personal pictures.

Kierny asked whether he wished to add anything. Davis said: “No I’m good.”

Defense attorney Michael Sanft plans to appeal the outcome. Sanft said prosecutors waited far too long to file the case.

On Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur sat in a BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight near the Las Vegas Strip. A white Cadillac pulled beside them at a red light, and gunfire erupted. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later.

Davis described the shooting in his 2019 memoir. He wrote that he rode in the front seat and passed the gun to the back. He said the attack was retaliation after Shakur beat his nephew.

Shakur was 25 years old. Knight survived the shooting.

During the weekslong trial, prosecutors presented interviews and prior statements Davis gave to law enforcement and film crews. Defense lawyers noted the total absence of physical evidence tying Davis to the scene.

The jury deliberated three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

Shakur’s siblings Maurice “Mopreme” Shakur and Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur addressed the court. Sekyiwa Shakur nodded as prosecutors spoke.

Prosecutor Binu Palal addressed the emotional toll of the crime after the verdict.

“They loved that man. And the arrogance that Mr. Davis had in expressing his joy in killing that man ultimately was his undoing,” Palal said.

The three other men inside the Cadillac have died. They include Davis’ nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, whom Davis accused of firing the shots.

Witnesses testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs used gang members for security. Davis previously alleged Combs offered money for the shooting, but Combs has denied any involvement.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to charge anyone else. He noted the state could file new charges if fresh evidence emerges.

A life sentence with parole eligibility requires an inmate to serve a set minimum term before receiving a release hearing. State prison boards evaluate custody conduct, public safety risks and institutional records before granting parole.

The sentencing closes decades of legal review in Clark County surrounding the 1996 Las Vegas street ambush.