LAS VEGAS (AP) — Duane “Keffe D” Davis is set to be sentenced Tuesday for orchestrating the murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur, who was gunned down off the Las Vegas Strip over 30 years ago.
Davis, 63, was convicted in August of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. He is the only person ever charged in the death of Shakur, whose popularity was peaking at age 25. Davis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
On the night of Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur was in the passenger seat of a black BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac pulled up at a red light, and shots erupted. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived.
Shakur is considered one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time and had a burgeoning film career as an actor at the time of his death. His legend has only grown since. His songs still resonate among fans with themes of hardship, love and Black struggles.
The killing went unsolved for years until Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, gave interviews and published his role in the shooting in his 2019 tell-all memoir. He explained how Shakur and his entourage beat up Davis' nephew hours before the shooting in Las Vegas. He said he sought retaliation, and that he was in the passenger seat of the Cadillac and passed the gun to the backseat, where shots were fired. Davis had spoken to detectives years before but avoided prosecution because of an agreement he made with law enforcement.
During the weekslong trial, prosecutors relied on Davis' own statements he made to law enforcement and documentarians. They argued Davis orchestrated the shooting and provided the gun used in Shakur's death, which was the result of a rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru. Davis' defense attorney pointed to a lack of physical evidence that connected his client to the 30-year-old crime, and he portrayed Davis as a liar who was trying to make money.
After nine days of hearing testimony in August, the jury deliberated for three hours before turning over the guilty verdict. Davis said in court that he plans to appeal.
Shakur's family is expected to speak at the sentencing, including his siblings Maurice “Mopreme” Shakur and Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur.
Following the verdict, prosecutor Binu Palal said that to many people, Shakur was an icon or an idea, "but to the family, Tupac Shakur was a brother, a son, a cousin, a loved person ripped from them 30 years ago.”
Palal said the family had to sit through years of Davis “bragging about killing someone they loved.”
"They loved that man. And the arrogance that Mr. Davis had in expressing his joy in killing that man ultimately was his undoing,” Palal said.
Davis is the only person to be charged and convicted in the killing of Shakur. The three other people who allegedly were in the Cadillac — including Davis' nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson who Davis said was the one who pulled the trigger — have died.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and his alleged role were brought up often throughout the trial. Witnesses testified Combs used members of the South Side Compton Crips for security for Bad Boy Records. In his book and public statements, Davis alleged Combs offered him money to kill Shakur and Knight. Combs, who is serving a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of prostitution-related offenses, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the death of Shakur.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said his office doesn't believe it has sufficient evidence to charge anyone else.
“But like any other case, if we come into more information, more evidence, we can always consider filing additional charges,” he said following the guilty verdict. “But today, we don't believe that's the appropriate move to make.”
FILE - Mopreme Shakur leaves for recess following the closing arguments in the murder trial of Duane Davis, Aug. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier, File)
FILE - Duane Davis, right, and his attorney Michael Sanft sit in a courtroom, after a jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder in his trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center on Aug. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians used small ball, the longball and played solid all-around baseball to keep winning in the postseason.
Nathaniel Lowe snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single after Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey homered off Drew Rasmussen, and the Guardians rallied past the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
After losing the first two games at home to the Chicago White Sox in their AL Division Series, Cleveland has won four straight in the postseason for the first time since winning their first six playoff games in 2016 on the way to a World Series berth.
“It feels good to see some balls fall, to see some guys get on the barrel, to see some guys have some great at-bats, because the first two games of the White Sox series, we got beat. We did,” Lowe said. “We had to go get our backs against the wall and do something crazy, and this group did. It’s nice to feel some momentum coming here and to take Game 1.”
Jose Ramírez had three hits and DeLauter was a triple shy of the cycle as the Guardians banged out 14 hits against a Tampa Bay staff that allowed just 12 in its Division Series against the New York Yankees.
Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca had RBI singles in the first and Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer for the Rays, who never trailed in their three-game sweep of the Yankees.
“It’s been a while since we lost, so I think that’s a good thing, and I know the guys will come back and respond tomorrow,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Rookie left-hander Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, and right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for the Rays.
Five relievers combined for five innings of one-run, two-hit ball for the Guardians, who became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series with a victory over the White Sox on Saturday night.
Cade Smith, who pitched in all five games against Chicago, tossed a perfect ninth.
“Obviously we came off an emotional series, had a quick turnaround. But these guys come ready to play every day. Couldn’t be more proud of them,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We got punched early. And our pitching staff, credit to them, for stopping it and keeping us in the game as long as they did. And the offense came alive.”
Rasmussen took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before DeLauter led off with an opposite-field homer to left-center. Bailey started the seventh with a towering shot to center that went a projected 436 feet, ending Rasmussen’s night.
Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the eighth in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
Ramírez opened the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter ripped a double to right. After Wells retired Jo Adell on a grounder to second, Ian Seymour entered. Lowe lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle to drive in two, giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
Lowe made his major league debut with Tampa Bay in 2019 and won a World Series with Texas in 2023.
“I love coming back here, I really do,” Lowe said. “It’s nice to see some familiar faces on the other side.”
Mullins connected off Erik Sabrowski for a solo shot in the bottom half.
Ramírez, whose two-run homer lifted Cleveland to a 2-0 win in Game 5 against Chicago, provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth off Cole Sulser.
Ramírez then helped the Guardians get two more by breaking for third with two outs and two strikes on Adell. Caminero ran to cover the bag and was out of position when Adell hit a sharp grounder toward third. The ball rolled into left field for a two-run double.
A crowd of 35,361 fans waved yellow rally towels and rang cowbells at the Trop as Tampa Bay made its third ALCS appearance in the franchise's 29-season history.
They were fired up when the 98-win Rays jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and Rasmussen battled to keep it there until the sixth.
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings. The two-time All-Star right-hander, who was four outs from a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory against New York, allowed a hit to the second batter he faced and eight total, striking out seven.
Guardians starter Foster Griffin gave up two runs and five hits in four innings.
The Rays helped Rasmussen with outstanding defense.
Nick Fortes threw out Ramírez trying to steal second in the first. Caminero made an excellent play to retire Adell on a hard bouncer to third. Caminero short-hopped the ball with his backhand and fired a strong throw to first.
The Guardians had a runner on first with one out in the third when second baseman Ben Williamson robbed DeLauter of a hit that prevented a first-and-third jam. Williamson, who wasn’t on the ALDS roster, made a diving grab on DeLauter’s sharp grounder, got up and threw him out.
Rays slick-fielding shortstop Taylor Walls was 0 for 3 and left six runners on base. He struck out with the bases loaded to end the first, lined out with a runner on in the fourth and grounded out with runners on first and second to end the sixth.
Messick took the loss in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, allowing two runs over 4 1/3 innings. He threw 2 1/3 innings in relief during a Game 4 victory, giving up two runs. Messick had 11 strikeouts in the two appearances. He was 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA in the regular season.
Peralta allowed one run and three hits over 4 2/3 innings in Game 2 of the Division Series vs. the Yankees. He was 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts after joining Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. Peralta was 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA for the Mets this season.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ian Seymour reacts after giving up two runs against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Jonny DeLuca and third baseman Junior Caminero collide try to catch a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio during the ninth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cleveland Guardians' Patrick Bailey celebrates after a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter hits a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter celebrate after scoring on a single by Nathaniel Lowe against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cleveland Guardians' Travis Bazzana steals second past Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls during the fourth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez is tagged out by Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls stealing during the first inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan singles against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen celebrates the last out in the top of the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen celebrates after striking out Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez during the fifth inning in Game 1 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
