Watch live: Tupac Shakur murder trial begins in Las Vegas for suspect Duane “Keffe D" Davis
Nearly 30 years after rapper Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip, the trial for the man accused of orchestrating the killing got underway Monday.
Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, is charged with murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in the rapper’s death. He has pleaded not guilty and if he is convicted, Davis faces life in prison.
Duane Davis looks on during the second day of jury selection in his murder trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur at Clark County District Court's Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 11, 2026. (Photo by Daniel Co
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks and may feature testimony from Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight.
Last week, a jury of six men and 10 women was selected to hear the case.
Tupac Shakur 1996 killing
The backstory:
Shakur was only 25 when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip on Sept. 7, 1996.
Shakur was in the passenger seat of a black BMW and Knight was driving. Shakur and Knight had just watched Mike Tyson defeat Bruce Seldon in a boxing match and were traveling to a nightclub where Shakur was scheduled to perform.
At a red light near the Las Vegas Strip, a white Cadillac pulled up beside them, and a shooting occurred. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived with minor injuries.
No weapon was found in Knight and Shakur’s car, according to retired Las Vegas police Detective Clifford Mogg, who was assigned to the investigation in early 2018.
The Associated Press reported that the case went cold until Davis began making public statements about his involvement as a leader of the South Side Compton Crips.
In 2019, he published a tell-all memoir. The book, along with interviews Davis gave, revived the police investigation.
Shakur's legendary rap career was highlighted by more than 75 million records worldwide with hits including "California Love," "Changes" and "Dear Mama."
Tupac Shakur remains a cultural icon
Rapper Tupac Shakur (Lesane Parish Crooks, name later changed to Tupac Amaru Shakur) performs at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois in March 1994. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
Shakur remains a cultural icon and is considered one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time, despite dying at 25. He was nominated for six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
In recent years, he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, had a street in Oakland named in his honor and inspired a character in the upcoming video game "Stranger than Heaven."
The Source: This article includes information from The Assoicated Press and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.