Judge refuses release of former gang boss accused of murdering Tupac Shakur

A judge in Las Vegas on Tuesday denied bail to former Los Angeles gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis, who is accused of murdering rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996.

Davis, who was arrested in September 2023, is the only person ever charged in connection with the shooting that took Shakur's life – a case that has been the subject of widespread speculation and intrigue for nearly three decades.

Prosecutors say the shooting that killed Shakur in Las Vegas was the result of rivalry between members of the East Coast Bloods gang and West Coast Crips gang groups, which included Davis. Davis is the only living person allegedly involved in the infamous drive-by shooting that killed Shakur and injured rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight. Davis maintains his innocence and pleads not guilty to the premeditated murder charge.

Davis has continued to seek bail – set at $750,000 since his September 2023 arrest – and has been repeatedly denied. On Tuesday, Clark District Court Judge Carli Kierny denied bail, citing concerns about the legality of the funds offered for Davis' release.

During the hearing, Kierny expressed doubts about the transparency of the funds and suggested that efforts may be being made to conceal their true origin. This skepticism arose after the judge received two nearly identical letters from the entertainment company that allegedly advanced the money. One of those letters bore a signature that had nothing to do with the company, which further heightened Kierny's concerns.

“I feel like there are attempts to cover things up,” Kierny said.

The bond is said to have been underwritten by Cash “Wack 100” Jones, a music executive known for managing artists such as Johnathan “Blueface” Porter and Jayceon “The Game” Taylor. Jones testified in June that his motivation came from a desire to support Davis, who is battling cancer and “has been a monumental figure in our community … particularly in the urban community.”

Tuesday's decision followed a statement by a Davis lawyer that he would provide additional financial documents to prove that Davis and the record label executive did not intend to profit from the sale of Davis' life story and that the money was obtained legally.

However, Kierny remains unconvinced that Jones and Davis are not trying to profit from the situation – especially given Nevada's “Slayer Statute,” which prohibits convicted murderers from financially benefiting from their crimes.

In states like New York, similar laws have been proposed following the arrest of 60-year-old Rex Heuermann, who was charged with a series of murders in July 2023.

Kierny had previously rejected Davis' offer to get Jones to post $112,500 to secure Davis' $750,000 bail, saying she could not determine whether Jones was acting as a “middleman” on behalf of another, unnamed person.

Tuesday's ruling also included a postponement of Davis' trial, which was originally scheduled for November 4 and has now been rescheduled for March 17.