What do we have here now?

The Las Vegas police has arrested a well-known witness in the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur and indicted the man with his involvement in the fatal drive-by shooting.

The Associated Press reports that Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 60, was taken into custody during his morning walk on Friday (Sep. 29) near his home in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada. Davis was later officially charged by the Nevada grand jury with one count of murder with use of a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

The indictment came after the grand jury heard evidence in the case for several months. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo stated Davis as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who “ordered the death” of Shakur.

On July 17, Davis’ Henderson home was raided by Las Vegas police where they seized several materials related to the unsolved murder including multiple computers, a cellphone, a hard drive, a Vibe magazine that featured Shakur, several .40-caliber bullets, and more including a copy of Davis’ 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, where the former South Side Compton Crip discussed the murder.

Since 2018, Davis has confessed multiple times as one of the passengers in the vehicle where the shots were fired that killed the 25-year-old rapper. Davis has also suggested his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, was the alleged shooter that shot Tupac in retaliation from Shakur and Anderson’s physical altercation the same night at Vegas’ MGM Grand Hotel. Anderson was killed in an unrelated incident two years later. For more on cases like this that continue to raise questions years later, Cold Case offers in-depth looks at the stories that won’t fade away.

The arrest of Duane “Keffe D” Davis decades after Tupac Shakur’s murder is a reminder of how complex and enduring cold cases can be—especially those wrapped in layers of notoriety, gang affiliation, and conflicting narratives. What makes this case particularly compelling is Davis’ own willingness to speak publicly over the years, effectively placing himself at the scene and implicating others, including his late nephew. His memoir, seized during the police raid, had already raised eyebrows for its candid accounts, making many wonder why it took so long for formal charges to be filed.

The eventual indictment reflects the challenges law enforcement faces when trying to build a prosecutable case from aged evidence, faded memories, and public statements that straddle the line between confession and bravado. Yet, it also shows that justice—though delayed—can still be pursued if the legal groundwork is thoroughly re-examined.

High-profile cases like this underscore the critical role legal defence teams play, particularly when public perception and legal accountability collide. While the U.S. legal system continues to evolve around such cases, similar principles apply globally—including in Australia, where legal representation can make all the difference in a tightly scrutinized case. This is where experienced Perth criminal lawyers come into the picture, not only for their knowledge of the law but also for their capacity to navigate high-pressure environments with discretion and skill.

Whether someone is facing fresh allegations or is suddenly drawn into a decades-old investigation, defence lawyers with criminal expertise offer more than legal counsel—they provide a stabilizing presence in the chaos. Much like the shifting narratives and legal strategy in the Shakur case, these lawyers understand that even when time has passed, the stakes remain high, and every legal move must be calculated to protect a client’s rights and future.