Las Vegas Metropolitan Police announced a major update in a high profile murder case.
This morning, a suspect was arrested for his involvement in the fatal drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur on Sept. 7, 1996.
“For 27 years the family of Tupac Shakur has been waiting for justice,” said the department in a press conference, before announcing the arrest of 60-year-old Duane Keith Davis, AKA “Keffe D.”
The case has been shrouded in mystery for nearly three decades, and police said today that it is “far from over” as they continue to work towards a successful prosecution.
“It has taken countless hours, really decades, of work by the men and women of our homicide section to get to where we are today,” said Kevin McMahill, Sheriff of the LVMP.
He noted that several of those detectives were standing there with them today, including the now retired Cliff Mogg, who was the lead investigator.
“I know there are many people who do not believe that the murder Tupac Shakur was important to this police department, I’m here to tell you that was simply not the case. It was not the case back then, and it is not the case today,” he added.
Police said that the investigation has been reviewed over and over again, but it wasn’t until 2018 that it was “reinvigorated.”
Additional information came to light at that time —specifically Davis’ own admissions to his involvement in the homicide, which he provided to numerous different media outlets.
In 2019, Davis even published a memoir detailing that night, acknowledging that, other than Suge Knight, he is the only living eyewitnesses.
This summer, a search warrant was executed at Davis’ home in Henderson, Nevada, which led to Davis being indicted on charges of murder.
Shakur was a legendary hip-hop artist signed to Death Row Records, owned by the notorious Suge Knight. Knight was known to be affiliated with the Mob Piru street gang, which had an ongoing feud with the South Side Compton Crips.
Davis was the leader of the rival gang and the “shot caller,” investigators said.
On the night of the shooting, Shukur, Suge Knight and members of their entourage— which included members of Mob Piru—came to Vegas to attend the mike Tyson at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Davis as well as his nephew Orlando Anderson, also attended the event. Police said that members of Death Row Records saw Orlando Anderson near an elevator bank inside the MGM as they were leaving the fight, and they began to kick and punch him.
Police showed security footage that showed the assault. Both Shakur and Knight were captured kicking and punching Anderson. At that point, hotel security intervenes, and they leave the area.
“Little did anyone know that it was this incident that would ultimately lead to the retaliatory shooting and death of Tupac Skakur,” police added.
Shakur and Knight left the MGM for an after party at a local nightclub, however word was already spreading among members of the opposing gang.
Investigators said that at that point, Duane Davis had begun to devise a plan to retaliate.
Davis is alleged to have obtained a gun and entered a white Cadillac along with Terrence Brown and Deandrae Smith and Orlando Anderson. Police said that Orlando and Smith were in the backseat of the vehicle, while Davis sat in the passenger seat.
At some point, it is alleged that Davis gave the handgun to the two men in the backseat and the group located the black BMW that Knight and Shakur were driving.
Police allege that they then pulled up near the passenger side, where Shakur was sitting, and immediately began shooting. The Cadillac then fled the area. Shakur was taken to hospital, but sadly died six days later on Sept. 13, 1996.
Police said that the three other men in the car with Davis are now dead.
When asked if Davis was the only person involved in planning the shooting, police said that he was the leader of the gang, and therefore orchestrated the crime.
Police added that more detail about who he obtained the gun from, known only to be a close associate, will come out in the trial.
