Former gang boss Duane Keffe D Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in a 1996 drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The verdict marks the first conviction in a cold case that has captivated hip-hop fans for nearly three decades.

The 63-year-old was found guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon. Shakur was 25 years old and at the height of his career when he was killed on September 7, 1996. The rapper, one of hip-hop's most influential figures, had sold over 75 million records worldwide.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, ordered the shooting and supplied the weapon used by his nephew, Orlando Anderson. Davis himself admitted to being in the car from which shots were fired in a 2008 police interview, though he claimed he did not fire the fatal bullets. Anderson, who had denied involvement, died in an unrelated shooting in 2008.

Shakur's family members expressed emotion in court, with some holding hands and crying as the verdict was read. Fans gathered outside the courthouse cheered and wept, celebrating the conviction in a case that has remained unsolved for 30 years, spawning numerous theories.

The prosecution argued that the shooting was a retaliatory act following a physical altercation between Anderson and Shakur's entourage just hours before the murder. The incident occurred during a period of intense rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rap scenes and significant gang feuds, particularly between the Bloods and Crips, which were deeply intertwined with hip-hop culture at the time.

Key evidence against Davis included his own public admissions about being present in the vehicle during the shooting. These statements, made in a 2008 police interview related to the death of rapper Notorious B.I.G. and further detailed in his 2019 memoir "Compton Street Legend," voided a prior agreement with authorities that had prevented criminal charges. The court ruled that his police interview could be used against him in the murder trial.

Davis, dressed in a black suit, stood impassively as the verdict was delivered and stated his intention to appeal. The conviction represents a significant breakthrough in one of America's most enduring cold cases, finally bringing a measure of closure to the long-unanswered questions surrounding Shakur's death.

The case's resolution, after nearly three decades, highlights the challenges of prosecuting crimes with stale evidence and the impact of public figures' own words, particularly when given to authorities or published, can have on legal proceedings.