The gangster accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of Hip-Hop icon Tupac Shakur, has a new argument to prove his innocence and is asking to have his murder trial delayed.
Lawyers for Duane “Keefe D” Davis claim a new private investigator has uncovered evidence that will prove their client was not in Las Vegas when Tupac Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, on the Las Vegas Strip.
His lawyers also claim to have proof that Suge Knight’s former Head of Security, Reggie Wright Jr., orchestrated the killing of Tupac.
During an interview in January, Davis’ lawyer, Carl Arnold, expressed confidence in his client’s prospects, hinting at an acquittal.
Davis, in past interviews and his own memoir, admitted to being in the Cadillac used in the shooting and claimed he handed the gun to the backseat, where His nephew Orlando Anderson allegedly fired the fatal shots.
Anderson, who maintained his innocence, was killed in an unrelated shooting in 1998.
“The law states the accused cannot be convicted solely on the basis of his confession,” Arnold told News 3. “The State must produce evidence that corroborates the confession and that evidence must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, the public has been well aware of a myriad of reasons why an accused will confess to a crime.”
Davis has remained behind bars at the Clark County Detention Center since his arrest in September of 2024.
A judge previously set his bail at $750,000, but concerns about the source of funding led to skepticism from the court. Prosecutors alleged that misleading information may have been submitted to secure Davis’ release, prompting the judge to deny bond for a second time.
Davis, known as a former Los Angeles gang figure, has long been linked to Pac’s killing. Authorities say he played a critical role in setting up the drive-by shooting that took place.
Tupac Shakur, 25, was struck multiple times while riding in a BMW with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight and died six days later.
The attack, law enforcement officials believe, was carried out as retaliation for a casino brawl involving Shakur, Knight and Orlando Anderson, also a member of the Southside Crips. Davis’ arrest in 2023 marked a significant turning point in a case that had frustrated investigators for decades.
Despite public admissions about his involvement, authorities struggled to piece together enough evidence to bring charges until Davis gave incriminating interviews claiming he was offered money by Sean “Diddy” Combs, but never received payment.