Gang leader in his 60s who ordered Tupac's killing sentenced to at least 40 years after 30 years

Arrogance cracked cold case; parole eligibility comes only after 40 years

The gang leader who ordered and conspired in the killing of legendary U.S. hip-hop icon 'Tupac' (2Pac) was sentenced to 40 years in prison 30 years after the crime. Given his age, he is in his 60s, the sentence effectively amounts to life in prison and permanent separation from society.

According to the Associated Press and other major news outlets on the 13th (local time), a Clark County, Nevada, district court sentenced 'Duane Davis' (63, alias Keefe D) to at least 40 years in prison after he was charged with first-degree murder. Under the court's ruling, Davis will not be eligible for parole until he has served the full 40 years. Prosecutors stressed the rationale for the sentence, saying, "Whatever sentence the court imposes, the defendant will die in prison," and, "He deserves the maximum sentence because he tried to profit financially from the horrific murder he committed."

'Duane Davis' was convicted in August of ordering the shooting death of 'Tupac', who was only 25 at the time, on a Las Vegas road on Sept. 7, 1996, and of providing the gun used in the crime. The case, one of the greatest tragedies in U.S. hip-hop history and a long-running cold case, came to light in full only after Davis confessed in his own 'autobiography', published in 2019. The investigation found that he was the key figure behind the killing, handing a firearm to a passenger in the back seat of a Cadillac and directly ordering him to open fire.

During the trial, 'Duane Davis' showed little sign of remorse or offered any meaningful defense against the charges. When the judge asked whether he had a final statement, he briefly dismissed the question, saying, "No, I'm good." His attorneys, however, said the passage of so much time since the killing had undermined his right to mount a defense and indicated they planned to appeal, leaving open the possibility of a lengthy legal battle.

Davis also caused a stir by claiming in the 'autobiography' that East Coast hip-hop mogul 'Puff Daddy' (Sean Combs) had offered a large sum of money in exchange for killing 'Tupac'. Prosecutors, however, drew a line under the matter, saying, "The evidence currently available is insufficient to bring additional charges against Sean Combs or other individuals." The questions surrounding the alleged mastermind therefore remain unresolved.