LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the only person ever arrested in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, is maintaining his innocence days before his murder trial is set to begin.
Davis has been held in jail since 2023, accused of orchestrating the shooting that killed Shakur on the Las Vegas Strip. Shakur was shot on Sept. 7, 1996, hours after attending the Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand. He died six days later.
MORE ON FOX5: Defense attorney in Tupac murder trial took case pro bono, says he believes his client is innocent
‘I wasn’t in Las Vegas’
Davis told FOX5 he was not in Las Vegas the night of the shooting.
“They can’t it prove also,” Davis said.
Davis also distanced himself from a book prosecutors say he co-authored and may use against him at trial, titled Compton Street Legend. Davis said a ghost writer wrote the book and that he never read it.
“I did not write that book,” Davis said. “A ghost writer wrote that.”
When asked why his name appears on the cover and why he did not stop the book from being published, Davis said he was paid to promote it.
“I was just trying to make my family some money,” he said.
Book photo disputed
FOX5 showed Davis the book which includes a photo captioned as him and his sister at the Mike Tyson fight — the same night Shakur was shot. Davis disputed that characterization, saying the photo was taken at a New Year’s Eve party, not at the fight.
“That was a New Year’s Eve party,” Davis said. “September the 7th — it’s got to be 115 degrees. Why would I wear a suit with an overcoat and a hat?”
Davis said the photo was taken Jan. 1, 1998, at the Sheraton hotel.
At one point Davis threatened to end the interview if he was asked about the book again.
“We not here to talk about that book I’m here to tell you about my family’s life is in danger I’m here to tell you there’s a bunch of lies going on I’m not here to talk about that book. And there’s a gag order on that type of stuff anyway,” he said.
2008 interview and immunity
A judge has ruled that a 2008 police interview Davis gave can be used against him at trial. Davis said he was given a script to read during that interview by his attorney and was told it was the only way he would avoid charges for himself and others.
“My lawyer gave me a script to read,” Davis said. “He said that’s the only way you’re going home. So I read the script.”
Davis said he did not know the interview was being recorded and that it took place at his attorney’s office, not a federal building as he said the judge characterized it.
Defense attorney Michael Sanft argued that a 2008 interview Davis gave law enforcement was supposed to be confidential, and that detectives explicitly told him the interview was not supposed to be used against him.
Prosecutors argued there was no basis to exclude the interview from the trial.
Family safety concerns and trial outlook
Davis said his family’s safety is at risk.
Davis said he plans to fight the case through every available court level if convicted.
“If I don’t win in this court, I’ll win in the next level,” he said.
When asked whether he plans to testify, Davis said, “If I have to, I will.”
Trial timeline
The trial begins Monday, Aug. 10. Jury selection is expected to last one week, and the trial could run up to six weeks.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
