A jury has found Duane Keffe D Davis guilty of murder in the fatal 1996 shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur, bringing a close to a case that has spanned three decades.

The verdict was delivered after less than three hours of deliberation by the jury in Las Vegas. Davis, 63, was convicted of murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutors argued that while Davis did not fire the fatal shots himself, he orchestrated the drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996. They allege he provided the weapon used to kill Shakur, who was 25 at the time of his death. The gun is believed to have been fired by either Davis' nephew, Orlando Baby Lane Anderson, or another individual in the car.

Davis, who has admitted to being a longtime leader of a Los Angeles street gang, is accused by law enforcement and prosecutors of being the "shot caller" behind the assassination. His repeated confessions to police, media outlets, and in his self-published memoir were presented as key evidence by the prosecution.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Binu Palal highlighted Davis' numerous public statements taking responsibility for Shakur's murder. Palal told the jury that these consistent accounts, coupled with corroborating witnesses and circumstantial evidence, overwhelmingly demonstrated Davis' guilt.

Defense attorney Michael Sanft challenged the prosecution's case, arguing that after 30 years, the only evidence against Davis were his alleged confessions. Sanft questioned why the case was brought forward now if Davis had truly confessed, emphasizing what he described as a lack of concrete evidence beyond his client's own words.

Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny has scheduled Davis' sentencing for October 13. The conviction marks a significant development in one of hip-hop's most enduring and tragic mysteries.

The case has captivated the public for decades, with Shakur's unsolved murder remaining a subject of intense speculation and numerous theories. Davis' conviction offers a measure of closure for those involved and a definitive legal conclusion to the long-standing investigation.