Tupac Shakur's Accused 'Killer' Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Could Use 'Self-Defense' Argument —As Murder Trial Set to Begin 30 Years After Rap Legend's Death
Could Duane 'Keffe D' Davis try to claim Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in self-defense?
Aug. 12 2026, Updated 6:11 p.m. ET
Tupac Shakur's alleged killer might have unknowingly written his way out of a conviction, RadarOnline.com can report.
Duane "Keffe D" Davis' appeared to confess his involvement in Shakur's death in his self-published book, COMPTON STREET LEGEND.
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Is Headed to Trial
The rap icon was gunned down on the Las Vegas strip in 1996.
While the tell-all eventually led to his arrest and a charge of orchestrating the drive-by shooting, now it may be that very book that gets him off the hook.
David Roger, who served as Clark County DA from 2002 to 2012, told KVVU Las Vegas that Davis could try to exploit a loophole and claim the shooting was self-defense. Roger explained that Davis wrote in his book that Shakur "reached for a weapon" before shots were fired.
However, while Davis may have inadvertently created a possible defense argument in his own writing, Roger believes it is unlikely his lawyers will pursue that strategy at trial, pointing out that the car carrying Shakur was searched by police and no weapons were found inside.
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Detailed Night Tupac Shakur Was Killed
Davis is about to go on trial for allegedly orchestrating the hit on Shakur.
In his explosive book, Davis, a former Crips gang member, wrote that the night started with a brawl at the MGM Grand hours earlier, when members of rival gang the Bloods attacked Davis' nephew, the late Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, after a Mike Tyson fight.
In response, Davis allegedly gathered a group of gang members and jumped into a Cadillac looking for payback.
"Tupac, Suge Knight and the rest of the n-----s didn't have any business putting their hands on my beloved nephew, Baby Lane. Period," he wrote. "Them jumping on my nephew gave us the ultimate green light to do something to their a--."
Before long, Davis and his crew allegedly caught up with Shakur and the shooting began.
Did Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Reveal the Real Killer?
Shakur was shot four times and died six days later.
Decades later, during a recorded interview with LAPD homicide officer Greg Kading and federal agents in 2019, the 63-year-old ratted out Anderson to save himself from drug charges, telling investigators his nephew was the real trigger man.
According to Kading, Davis said he picked up a Glock. 40 from a "secret compartment" in the car's armrest and handed it to Anderson, who fired off four rounds, striking Shakur. The All Eyez on Me hitmaker died six days later from his injuries at age 25.
"For us, Vegas was another day at the office," David wrote in his memoir. "It may sound cold-hearted, but from a street perspective, the killings of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls would be considered nothing more than collateral damage. As a result, the hip-hop world has lost two of its most talented and revered musical artists and icons."
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Maintains His Innocence
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Davis has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.
Davis didn't know it at the time, but his words would come back to haunt him. As Radar reported, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant on Davis on July 17, 2023.
According to a copy of the warrant, the authorities collected a desktop computer, a laptop, a cell phone, a hard drive, eleven .40-caliber bullets, tubs full of photos, 40 ink cartridges, and a copy of the book, among other items.
Davis has since tried to walk back his confession comments, maintaining his innocence and claiming that his admission to the killing in the book was just a ploy to make money for his family.
