The individual accused of involvement in Tupac Shakur’s murder makes their initial court appearance

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the individual charged in connection with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, made his inaugural court appearance in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, October 4, the 60-year-old Davis appeared before District Court Judge Tara Jones. During the hearing, he informed Judge Jones that he had retained legal counsel, but unfortunately, his attorney was unable to attend and requested a two-week continuance. Judge Jones granted this request, setting Davis’s next court appearance for October 19 at 9 a.m. local time.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson held a news conference on the same day, revealing that the original plan was for Davis to be arraigned and enter a plea. However, due to the absence of his attorney, this will be postponed until his next court appearance. Following Davis’s plea, the judge will subsequently schedule a date for a jury trial.

Wolfson also confirmed that Davis would remain in custody without bail at least until his next court appearance.

Davis faces charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and a gang enhancement. His arrest took place on Friday, September 29, shortly after he was indicted by a Nevada grand jury.

Tupac Shakur, the renowned hip-hop artist, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996, at the age of 25. Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo has referred to Davis as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who issued the directive for the hip-hop icon’s demise.

Addressing the long-standing nature of the case, Wolfson noted, “It’s a cold case. It’s been lingering for 27 years. But I felt there was sufficient legally admissible evidence to move forward, that’s why we presented it to a grand jury. The grand jury agreed there was probable cause to return an indictment … any case that’s 27 years old sometimes presents some challenges, but we feel very confident that the criminal justice system will work in this case.”

Davis had previously described himself as a witness to the murder in his 2019 memoir. He claimed to have been present in the vehicle from which the gunfire originated and implicated his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, as one of the individuals in the back seat from which the shots were fired. It’s worth noting that Anderson passed away two years after the shooting.

Authorities have been well-acquainted with Davis, as evidenced by a police raid on his wife’s residence in July. The official documents indicated that the search was conducted to collect items “concerning the murder of Tupac Shakur,” resulting in the seizure of electronic devices, photographs, and a copy of Davis’s memoir.