The trial of Duane Davis, accused of orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur, has begun in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prosecutors opened their case on August 17, 2026, by telling jurors that Davis, a former street gang leader known as “Keefe D,” masterminded the killing as an act of retribution.

Shakur, then 25, was shot and killed near the Las Vegas Strip area in Paradise, Nevada, in an event that has remained unsolved for nearly three decades. The murder occurred during a tumultuous period in the hip-hop world, marked by a highly publicized East Coast-West Coast rivalry.

During opening statements, prosecutor Binu Palal alleged that Davis was the “on-the-ground, on-site commander of the effort to kill Tupac.” Palal informed the jury that Davis is accused of supplying the weapon used in the fatal shooting, though not of pulling the trigger himself. Davis has pleaded not guilty to a single count of murder with a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang.

Prosecutors contend that Davis began self-implicating in the crime through public statements, which provided the necessary admissible evidence to bring charges after years of investigation. These statements, according to the prosecution, detailed his role in the events leading up to Shakur’s death, including ensuring shooters were armed and prepared.

The defense, however, has cast doubt on the prosecution’s case, with lawyer Michael Sandt telling the jury that after 30 years, investigators still possess scant evidence. Sandt urged the jury to question the narrative presented, asking, “At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, is what they are saying truth or fiction?”

Duane Davis, 63, faces a potential six-week trial before Judge Carli Kierny. The jury selection concluded last week. The trial could potentially feature testimony from Marion “Suge” Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, who was with Shakur the night he died. Knight is currently serving a 28-year sentence for an unrelated voluntary manslaughter conviction.

Shakur, a California-based artist, rose to international fame in the 1990s with several Billboard-topping albums, both during his life and posthumously. His murder remains one of the most significant unsolved cases in music history, continuing to captivate public attention.

Investigators had long considered Davis a suspect but lacked sufficient evidence for charges until his recent public statements. The prosecution aims to convince the jury that Davis orchestrated the killing, making this trial a pivotal moment in understanding the circumstances surrounding the death of the influential rapper.