Tupac Shakur murder trial begins nearly 30 years after rapper’s death

Nearly three decades after Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas, the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis has begun. Prosecutors accuse the former gang leader of orchestrating the killing, one of hip-hop’s most enduring mysteries.

The long-awaited trial began Monday and is expected to last about a month.

Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors allege he orchestrated the shooting of Shakur, who was 25 at the time.

The case has remained unsolved for decades, captivating fans and generating numerous theories about who was responsible for the rapper’s death.

Shakur gunned down in traffic

Shakur was in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, when a car pulled alongside the BMW in which he was travelling.

Gunmen opened fire, striking the rapper multiple times.

Shakur was rushed to hospital but died six days later from his injuries, sending shockwaves through the music industry.

At the time, he was one of the biggest names in hip-hop, known for songs that addressed poverty, violence and social inequality.

Witnesses take the stand

The prosecution is expected to call witnesses who saw Shakur shortly before the shooting, along with people connected to rival record labels and others familiar with the events surrounding his death.

The testimony is expected to shed light on the tensions surrounding Shakur and the circumstances that led to the shooting.

Davis has previously acknowledged being in the vehicle from which the gunfire came, but has denied being the shooter.

A case that shaped hip-hop

Shakur’s killing became one of the most prominent unsolved murders in popular music.

His death, followed months later by the killing of fellow rap star The Notorious B.I.G., intensified tensions surrounding the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry of the 1990s.

Davis’ indictment in 2023 marked a major breakthrough in the decades-old investigation.

Now, prosecutors and defence lawyers will present their cases as a jury considers whether Davis played a central role in the killing.

After nearly 30 years of speculation, the trial could finally provide answers about one of music’s most famous murders.