Gene Deal has pointed to a $1 million check as the potential key to uncovering whether Sean “Diddy” Combs had any role in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, urging federal investigators to “follow the paperwork” during a new interview.
Speaking with The Art of Dialogue on Tuesday (April 8), the former bodyguard for Diddy didn’t mince words when asked about federal authorities reportedly investigating his ex-boss in connection to Shakur’s murder.
“The way the law enforcement been talking about it is that they believe that there was a check for a million dollars that were paid out,” Deal said. “Follow the paperwork.”
Deal also referenced a civil lawsuit filed by former Bad Boy Entertainment president Kirk Burrowes.
Burrowes accused Diddy of being tied to a deal with Duane “Keefe D” Davis, the man currently facing charges in Las Vegas for allegedly orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur.
“Kirk Burrowes came out in his lawsuit and said that Diddy has something to do with it… follow the check,” Deal said. “The individuals that they try to say that had something to do with it or got paid for it showed us a check for $1 million.”
He continued, “Everything is already laid out there. All they have to do is, nine times out of 10, follow the paperwork.”
Deal had previously claimed he personally saw Harlem street figure Eric “Von Zip” Martin with a $1 million check, believed to be tied to the alleged murder-for-hire arrangement.
In Burrowes’ lawsuit, he alleged that Keefe D was expecting a $1 million payment in connection to Shakur’s murder, but the money was never delivered.
“Upon information and belief, Keefe D was expecting a payment of $1 million, which had not been received,” the filing stated.
Audio from 2023 surfaced of Keefe D saying he struggled to get paid after the hit, claiming Diddy promised the money but that Von Zip avoided him after the murder.
Despite Keefe D’s past admissions that he was in the Cadillac involved in the fatal shooting, he now insists he was at home in Los Angeles the night Shakur was killed.
He maintains there is no physical evidence tying him to the crime scene, the weapon or the getaway vehicle.
Deal believes Keefe D is being used as a scapegoat and predicted his release. “Keefe D gone be free pretty soon,” he said.
He also warned that unnamed people may try to get Keefe D out of jail to permanently silence him.
“If he were to be killed, the Las Vegas Police Department would say the person responsible for Shakur’s death is dead,” Deal said. “No, that’s a copout. They have no evidence to prove that Keefe D had anything to do with the death of Tupac Shakur.”
Deal accused law enforcement of feeding Keefe D a false narrative.
“He made up some lies for cops in California; that’s a proven fact,” he asserted. “FBI agents had came out and said he made up lies and he was given a script and adhered to the script that was given to him.”
Referencing a recent jailhouse interview, Deal said Keefe D knows Las Vegas police “don’t have nothing on him” and wants to return home.
He added, “Keefe D should get him a lawyer and sue the Vegas Police Department.”
Keefe D remains in custody and is awaiting trial in Nevada.