Duane 'Keefe D' Davis to serve 40 years to life in prison for Tupac Shakur's murder

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Duane "Keefe D" Davis will serve 40 years to life in prison for the murder of Tupac Shakur.

The sentencing in a Clark County courtroom on Tuesday ends a lengthy chapter in true crime history and American pop culture. But the case won't end here, Davis and his attorney pledged. They were adamant that Davis plans to appeal his conviction.

Davis, 63, will have 731 days' credit for time served. He is eligible to seek parole after 40 years.

Given the opportunity to speak at Tuesday's hearing, Davis told the court "I just want my stuff back that you took out of my house," referring to the warrant served at his Henderson home in 2023.

"I'm good," he said. "I'm gonna appeal this case, for sure."

Prosecutors argued that Davis ordered the hit and provided the gun used to shoot Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip on Sept. 7, 1996 — and that Davis himself admitted as much in podcasts, interviews and his own memoir. Under Nevada law, a person can be charged with murder if they helped another person in the act.

On August 31, a jury found Davis guilty of murder. Judge Carli Kierny presided over his sentencing.

WATCH: Judge Carli Kierny sentences Duane Davis for Tupac Shakur's murder

"For three years, I’ve heard you say some variation of the same thing — to law enforcement, to BET, in your book," Kierny told Davis, "and it’s something like, 'Yeah, I was involved in this, but I’m different. I’ve moved on. I got out of Compton; I’m a grandfather now.'

"I’m here to tell you that’s not how this works, OK?" she continued. "You don’t get to take a man from his family. You don’t get to take his very life, his whole future from him, and just walk away from it. Especially when that man is Tupac Shakur. The world never forgot about him and his death, and neither did Las Vegas. It took us 30 years, but at this time, you are going to face justice for what you did on September 7, 1996."

How we got here: A trial decades in the making

Shakur was wounded in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996. He died six days later.

The shooting has transfixed generations of hip hop fans and true crime followers alike, spawning dozens of theories about who pulled the trigger that night and why. At trial, jurors heard Davis claim it was his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson.

Jurors also saw surveillance footage of a fight inside the MGM Grand hotel that infamously led up to the shooting. Gang detectives testified that Davis, a "shot-caller" for the South Side Compton Crips, ordered the hit in retaliation for the clash between his entourage and that of Mob Piru-affiliated producer Marion "Suge" Knight.

In the decades since Shakur was killed, prosecutors argued, Davis has publicly claimed responsibility for ordering the hit. He was arrested in September 2023.

Shakur's family members plead for justice

Shakur's sister, Sekyiwa, and stepbrother Mopreme spoke about the impact the loss has had on their family:

In an emotional speech, Sekyiwa remembered her brother not just for his influence, but for his kindness. She mourned the future Shakur never got to see and the promises he never got to fulfill.

"I do believe that when you take a life like that, you deserve every minute — every minute — of the maximum amount of punishment, time to sit down and contemplate what you’ve done to this world — not just to me," Sekyiwa told the court.

Mopreme asked Kierny to impose the maximum sentence for Tupac's killing.

"'Pac didn't have a trial. All 'Pac got was a death sentence," he said. "So, the longest sentence possible, your honor. Thank you."

In a statement addressing the sentencing, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson expressed hope that it would bring some measure of closure to Shakur's loved ones.

"This case is a reminder that no matter how much time passes, our commitment to seeking justice never wavers," he said.

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