After nearly three decades of investigating the 1996 murder of famed rapper Tupac Shakur, police announced that there's been a major development.
On Sept. 28, authorities arrested Duane Keith Davis, who is believed to be the last living suspect investigated in Shakur's murder case.
Davis, who goes by “Keefy D” or “Keffe D" has previously acknowledged that he was in the car that did a drive-by shooting on Shakur nearly 30 years ago. But since there were only conspiracy theories as to who the shooter was, no charges have ever been filed in Shakur's murder case... until now.
Read on to learn more about Davis and his involvement in Shakur's murder.
How did Tupac Shakur die?
On Sept. 13, 1996, Shakur died after he was involved in a fatal drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.
The rapper was gunned down on Sept. 7, 1996, after he and Marion “Suge” Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records, got into a fight with Davis’ nephew Orlando Anderson at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, according to officials.
Officials said the fight led Anderson to plan revenge against Shakur, who was in town to watch the heavyweight bout between Mike Tyson and Bruce Sheldon.
Once Shakur and his friends were spotted stopping at a red light near East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane, a Cadillac then pulled up beside them with someone opening fire at the vehicle that Shakur was in.
After suffering multiple gunshot wounds in the drive-by, Shakur was later pronounced dead on Sept. 13.
How is Duane "Keefe D" Davis connected to Tupac Shakur's murder?
Not only has Davis placed himself at the scene of the crime in interviews he did years ago, but Davis also talked about Shakur's murder in his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend," where he also referenced late rapper, Biggie Smalls, who was also in a feud with Shakur at the time.
In the book, Davis said there was a “million dollar bounty on the heads of Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur” and that he had "lived most of [his] life as a gangster, a real gangster that did all that s--- that real gangsters do.”
“I’m one of the only living eyewitness to Tupac’s killing, who also knows the much larger story around the reasons why both Tupac and Biggie were killed," he added. "I was considered a prime suspect in both the Biggie and Tupac killings for years. I know the real f---king story.”
According to NBC News, Davis also wrote that he wanted revenge after Shakur beat up Anderson.
“Them jumping on my nephew gave us the ultimate green light to do something," he said in his memoir. "Tupac chose the wrong game to play.”
These statements that Davis made in his memoir helped to reinvigorate the case.
In July, Las Vegas police executed a search warrant at a home in Henderson, Nevada, connected to Davis.
Then, on Sept. 28, authorities arrested Duane Keith Davis in connection to Tupac's murder.
On Sept. 29, Las Vegas police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson told reporters that “This was likely our last time to take a run at this case and successfully bring forth a criminal charge."
What will happen to Duane “Keefe D” Davis now?
According to NBC News, Davis is currently being held without bail. It's unknown if Davis has acquired a criminal defense attorney. The Clark County public defender’s office did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on the matter.
Authorities believe that Davis' motive in Shakur’s death was tied directly to Knight's fight with Davis’ nephew Orlando Anderson.
A murder indictment against Davis alleges he obtained a firearm for the attack “for the purpose of seeking retribution against Tupac Amaru Shakur” and Knight, NBC News reports.
While the document doesn't say that Davis pulled the trigger, it does argue that he had a hand in Shakur's murder by being a part of the group that conspired to kill the rapper.
The document states that Davis willed Tupac’s death by “counseling, encouraging, hiring, commanding, inducing and/or otherwise procuring the other to commit the crime."
“Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said at a news conference when he announced the arrest.
Davis is due in court next week.
A grand jury voted to add a sentencing enhancement to Davis' murder charge for gang activity that could add up to 20 additional years if he’s convicted, according to the Associated Press.