A Nevada jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, guilty of the murder of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur, nearly 30 years after the artist was fatally shot in Las Vegas.

Davis was convicted of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon for his role in orchestrating the September 7, 1996, shooting. The jury reached its unanimous verdict after deliberating for less than three hours, bringing a major development to one of the most closely watched unsolved murder cases in music history.

WHAT HAPPENED TO TUPAC?

Tupac Shakur was travelling through Las Vegas in a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac pulled alongside their vehicle at a red light.

Gunmen opened fire, striking Tupac several times. He was rushed to hospital but died six days later, on September 13, 1996, at the age of 25.

WHY WAS DAVIS CONVICTED?

Prosecutors argued that Davis helped orchestrate the attack as retaliation after Tupac and members of his entourage had been involved in an earlier altercation with Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Although Davis was not accused of being the person who fired the fatal shots, prosecutors maintained that he helped organise the attack. Under Nevada law, a person who helps orchestrate a murder can be held responsible even if they did not personally pull the trigger.

A major part of the prosecution’s case came from Davis’ own statements. He had discussed his involvement in interviews and in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend. Prosecutors used those statements to argue that Davis had knowledge of the planning and events surrounding the shooting.

The defence, however, argued that Davis had exaggerated or fabricated some of his stories and that his statements were not reliable. Despite the defence’s arguments, the jury ultimately found him guilty.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Davis faces the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. Sentencing will take place later, and Davis has indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction.

The conviction represents the first criminal conviction in Tupac Shakur’s murder case, ending almost three decades of investigation, speculation and unanswered questions surrounding the rapper’s death.

Tupac remains one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, with his music and social commentary continuing to influence generations of artists nearly three decades after his death.