Tupac murder suspect goes on trial 30 years later, and his own book is at the centre

Alexandra Aiyudu

Tupac murder suspect goes on trial 30 years later, and his own book is at the centre

August 10, 2026

Duane “Keffe D” Davis is finally on trial nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur’s murder, with a book he wrote about the killing now at the centre of the case.

Davis, 63, is the only person charged in Shakur’s 1996 murder. He appeared in court in Las Vegas on Monday, August 10.

Prosecutors charged Davis with one count of murder with a deadly weapon. They also allege that he acted to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

Davis has remained in jail since late 2023. He has pleaded not guilty.

Davis’s book at centre of trial

Prosecutors are using Davis’s 2019 tell-all book, Compton Street Legend, as a key part of their case.

The book details Davis’s account of the night Shakur died. It opens in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.

Davis wrote about his plan to confront Shakur and Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight. The plan followed an earlier fight.

He also described getting a gun and entering a car with three other men. The group later spotted Shakur’s vehicle.

Prosecutors admit the book is “salacious, prone to hyperbole” and contains inaccuracies. However, they argue that much of Davis’s account matches facts they can prove.

His defence team is expected to challenge the book’s credibility. Lawyers may point to parts that contain false claims.

What Davis says about the shooting

Davis previously said he gave the gun used in the shooting to his nephew, Orlando Anderson. Investigators believe Anderson fired the shots.

Davis also admitted that he was in the vehicle when the shooting happened. Anderson died before facing charges in the case.

Shakur’s murder has remained one of hip-hop’s biggest mysteries for almost three decades.

Prosecutors say the shooting followed a long-running feud between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records. They also link the conflict to rival gang factions, Mob Piru and the South Side Compton Crips.