DistantNews
Support us
🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Crime & Justice

‘Keffe D’ told detectives years ago his nephew fired the shots that killed Tupac

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Duane 'Keffe D' Davis told detectives in 2008 that his nephew Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson fired the fatal shots that killed Tupac Shakur in 1996.
  • Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the killing, stated he was in the car with Anderson during the Las Vegas shooting.
  • Prosecutors are relying on Davis's past admissions, including interviews and a co-written memoir, as key evidence in the ongoing trial.

Jurors heard Duane “Keffe D” Davis recount to detectives in 2008 how his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, fired the shots that killed Tupac Shakur. Davis, who faces accusations of orchestrating the 1996 Las Vegas shooting, stated he was present in the car with Anderson during the incident. At the time of the 2008 interview, Anderson had been deceased for a decade.

If we would have been on my side, I would have blasted.

— Duane “Keffe D” DavisDavis describes the moments before the shooting, indicating his intent to fire if positioned differently.

Davis described how the white Cadillac carrying him, Anderson, and two others pulled alongside Shakur's vehicle. He claimed that because they were not on the correct side to shoot, he offered his gun to Deandre “Big Dre” Smith, who refused it. Davis then stated that Anderson, also in the back seat, took the weapon and began firing.

Prosecutors are building their case heavily on Davis's own admissions, made in police interviews and podcasts, as well as his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend.” This 2008 interview marks the first time Davis directly addressed his alleged involvement with authorities. However, Davis had previously told the FBI that his nephew was not involved in Shakur's 1996 shooting, speculating instead about the involvement of Suge Knight or Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Everybody was a suspect at that time.

— Daryn DupreeOne of the detectives involved in the 2008 interview testifies about the atmosphere surrounding investigations into high-profile hip-hop killings.

Davis has pleaded not guilty. His defense attorney has characterized the prosecution's narrative as "fiction" and argued that Davis was untruthful when discussing his involvement, a fact authorities were aware of. The initial police interview with Davis was reportedly to discuss the 1997 killing of Shakur's rival, The Notorious B.I.G., in which Davis had briefly been a suspect. Detectives Daryn Dupree and Greg Kading, who conducted the interview, assured Davis of its confidentiality, with Kading later describing the exchange in his own book. Prosecutors contend that Davis's subsequent public statements nullify any prior agreement with law enforcement.

Nothing you say today can be used against you.

— Greg KadingA detective assures Davis of confidentiality during the 2008 interview, a detail later detailed in Kading's book.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog