A former LAPD detective testified Wednesday that Duane “Keffe D” Davis confessed to involvement in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder during a 2008 interview about a different killing.
Daryn Dupree told a Las Vegas jury that Davis made the admission while being questioned about the unsolved murder of rival rapper Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace. When asked if he had anything to do with Wallace’s 1997 shooting in Los Angeles, Davis responded: “No, we didn’t have anything to do with that one. We did the other one.”
Gang Leader Questioned in Both Rapper Killings
Dupree was assigned to a task force investigating Wallace’s murder when investigators brought in Davis, then a leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang. Detectives suspected Davis might have information about Wallace’s killing partly because he drove a Chevy Impala — the same type of car Wallace’s shooter used.
The meeting was structured as a proffer session, an off-the-record conversation between investigators and a suspect that can lead to a plea deal. During that 2008 session, Davis denied any role in Wallace’s death but allegedly acknowledged participation in Shakur’s killing in Las Vegas a year earlier.
Two Decades Between Crime and Courtroom
The testimony marks a critical moment in a case that has languished for nearly three decades. Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996, and died six days later at age 25. The killing became one of hip-hop’s most notorious unsolved murders.
Davis now faces trial for his alleged role in Shakur’s death. His 2008 statement to investigators — made during an interview about an entirely different crime — has emerged as key evidence prosecutors are using to connect him to the rapper’s murder.
The case demonstrates how cold cases can break open through unexpected channels. What began as questioning about Wallace’s murder became the foundation for charges in Shakur’s killing, filed only after investigators circled back to Davis’s own words years later.
Key Points
- Former LAPD detective says Duane “Keffe D” Davis confessed to Tupac’s 1996 murder during 2008 questioning about Biggie’s death
- Davis allegedly told investigators “we did the other one” when denying involvement in Notorious B.I.G. killing
- Testimony reveals how an off-the-record proffer session about one unsolved murder produced evidence for another
https://www.courthousenews.com/ex-cop-testifies-keffe-d-admitted-to-involvement-in-tupac-shakur-murder/ – August 20, 2026
