LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It’s been about six months since Duane “Keffe D” Davis was arrested in connection with rapper Tupac Shakur’s murder.
Now, additional evidence is coming to light about what he told police during an interview in 2009 – 14 years before his arrest.
On Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur and members of his hip-hop group “The Outlawz,” Suge Knight and other friends came to Las Vegas to see boxing great Mike Tyson take on Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand. That’s when a fight broke out between Shakur and a man named Orlando Anderson, Davis’ nephew.
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“Anderson had previously been involved in a conflict with members of Death Row’s entourage and members of a gang called the Mob Piru, affiliated with Death Row Records. An individual named Trevon Lane had his Death Row medallions stolen from him at a mall during a beef between the Crips and the Bloods, and Trevon Lane was in Vegas with Tupac,” former Los Angeles Police Department detective Greg Kading previously told Channel 13. “He pointed out across the lobby was one of the guys that stole his chain.”
When the fight broke up and Shakur left the casino, investigators said they believe Anderson got a gun and drove up to a BMW that Shakur was in while the vehicle was stopped at a red light at Flamingo Road and Koval Lane. That’s when shots rang out.
Shakur died at University Medical Center six days later. He was only 25 years old. Anderson was killed in an unrelated shooting in Los Angeles two years after Shakur.
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Police in Las Vegas and Los Angeles have been investigating the case for years and Davis has always been on their radar since he was in Anderson’s vehicle that night.
Davis was interviewed multiple times by law enforcement in both cities over the years. New audio obtained by ABC News shows that Las Vegas police actually spoke with Davis in 2009.
“What happened when you pulled up alongside,” a detective asked Davis.
“Got to shooting,” Davis replied.
According to ABC News, Davis then explained he maneuvered the gun toward the backseat when his nephew grabbed it.
“Orlando said, ‘Give it here, I’ll shoot,” Davis said. “And he got to shooting.”
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill told ABC News they believe that Davis is “the shot caller” and that he provided the weapon used to kill Shakur that night.
“We never forgot about this case,” LVMPD Lt. Jason. Johansson told ABC News. “If anything, this shows we never forgot about it.”
One thing that complicated matters was a proffer agreement that was made with Davis, who previously revealed more information to Los Angeles police. That agreement means a person agrees to provide prosecutors with useful information and in exchange, the information they provide can’t be used against them in future criminal proceedings.
“After they became aware of our proffer session, they came out and conducted their own interview,” Kading told ABC News. “But because it’s a law enforcement interview, it has to still fall under the purview of the proffer.”
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The issue led to frustration between the two police departments.
“I just don’t believe a lot of the information that was being conducted there in LA was actually being shared with us. There was a level of frustration on the part of my detectives in being able to actually move forward. ,” McMahill told ABC News. “Our bad guys and their bad guys, they go up and down Interstate 15 and they commit crimes here and go back to LA and vice versa. So we’ve always had a really good relationship with and sharing intelligence. But in this particular case, that was less than optimal, for certain, and I’m not exactly sure why.”
However, Kading said there was a reason they withheld information.
“When Keffe D agreed to be an informant, we’re going to utilize him as an investigative tool. We need to keep that as confidential as possible,” Kading said. “There would be no indictment had we not did what we did then.”
Kading previously told Channel 13 that Davis has violated the proffer agreement by bragging about his role that night in interviews and books over the years.
“He began to go out and publicly boast about his role in the murder and that led to law enforcement in Las Vegas to take another look at his claims and ultimately, he’s just talked himself into jail,” Kading said. “We knew about his involvement but now, it’s come to fruition because of all of the public statements he’s made.”
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In July, Las Vegas police searched Davis’ home in Henderson. According to a search warrant, investigators collected multiple computers, a cellphone, a hard drive, a Vibe magazine that featured Shakur, several .40-caliber bullets, two tubs containing photographs, and a copy of Davis’ memoir.
That led to a grand jury indictment being handed down and, ultimately, his September arrest.
Davis has been charged with open murder and is still in the Clark County Detention Center, as of Saturday night. His bail has been set at $750,000. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge.
Davis’ attorney Carl Arnold told ABC News there doesn’t seem to be a lot of evidence against his client and that Davis is no “shot caller.”
“Basically their whole case right now, from what I’ve seen, is just Keffe’s statements,” Arnold said. “If that evidence is all it is, we can walk into trial today. We’re walking back out. Not guilty.”
According to court records, Davis is due back in court on April 23 for an evidentiary hearing. A tentative trial date has been set for Nov. 4.