Tupac Shakur Murder Mystery Nears Trial After 30 Years

Nearly three decades after the murder of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur, a trial is set to begin in Las Vegas that could finally shed light on the unsolved mystery. Duane "KeD" Davis, a 63-year-old former gang leader, is the only person charged in connection with the 1996 shooting that killed Shakur at age 25.

Davis faces charges of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated the attack as retaliation for an earlier assault on his nephew, Orlando Anderson. Shakur was shot multiple times on September 7, 1996, while riding as a passenger in a car driven by Suge Knight, then head of Death Row Records, hours after Shakur and his entourage had a physical altercation with Anderson.

The case remained cold for years due to a lack of evidence and witness cooperation. Davis's own statements, including his co-authorship of a memoir claiming he was in the car and disposed of the murder weapon, reignited the investigation. However, Davis has since disputed parts of the memoir and claimed he was not in Las Vegas at the time of the murder, stating a ghostwriter penned the book. His defense attorney argues that key evidence against Davis originated from Davis himself. The prosecution contends Davis organized the attack, supplied the weapon, and ordered the killing, while Davis has also made claims about Sean "Diddy" Combs offering him money for the murder.