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30 Years After Tupac’s Death, Murder Trial Finally Begins

Nearly three decades after hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur was killed in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting, the long-awaited murder trial is finally underway.

The case centres on Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing. Prosecutors allege that Davis helped plan the attack and supplied the gun used in the shooting, although he is not accused of being the person who pulled the trigger. Davis has pleaded not guilty.

Tupac was shot on September 7, 1996, while riding in a BMW with Death Row Records boss Marion “Suge” Knight. He died six days later at just 25 years old.

For years, the case remained one of America’s most notorious unsolved celebrity murders. It was revived after Davis made public statements about his involvement and later co-wrote the 2019 memoir Compton Street Legend. A judge has also ruled that his 2008 police interview can be presented at trial.

The trial could last several weeks, with prosecutors expected to rely heavily on Davis’ previous statements as they attempt to establish what happened that night.

Thirty years later, the question that has haunted hip-hop for generations is finally heading before a jury: Who was truly responsible for Tupac Shakur’s death?