After 27 years, the wheels of justice have finally turned, leading to the arrest of a man who confessed to his role in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Dwayne Keith Davis, also known as Keffe D, is now behind bars, facing charges related to the 1996 shooting.
A Long Time Coming: Arrest Follows Years of Speculation
Filmmaker Mike Dorsey, who predicted this arrest nearly two months ago on Law and Crime, expressed his relief and excitement. “This has been for me, you know, kind of a 10-year journey since we put out our doc ‘Murder Rap,’ which was the first documentary to put out his taped confession that his crew did this,” said Dorsey. He admitted that the long wait had led to doubts about whether an arrest would ever happen.
Mike Dorsey, filmmaker, during an interview
A History of Violence: The Events Leading to Tupac’s Death
Tupac Shakur was tragically shot on September 7, 1996, while riding in a car driven by Suge Knight in Las Vegas. The shooting was believed to be in retaliation for a fight Tupac had with Orlando Anderson at the MGM Grand during a Mike Tyson fight earlier that night.
Keffe D, Anderson’s uncle, later confessed to providing the gun used to shoot Tupac. This confession, made in a proffer to police, was inadmissible in court. However, years later, Keffe D further detailed his involvement in his book “Compton Street Legend,” which many consider a confession.
Key Witnesses Gone: The Challenges of Building a Case
The passage of time has presented challenges for the prosecution. Key witnesses, including Tupac Shakur, his bodyguard, and Orlando Anderson, are all deceased. Additionally, Suge Knight, a crucial witness, is unlikely to cooperate.
Tupac Shakur in a car
Dorsey believes that investigators likely relied on individuals who came forward after the release of “Murder Rap.” He explained, “When ‘Murder Rap’ came out, we…heard from a lot of people that had information on this case…who said that it basically filled in the gaps for them of what they already knew.”
Keffe D’s Conflicting Actions: Awareness of Legal Risk
Despite his confession in “Compton Street Legend,” Keffe D has displayed an awareness of his legal vulnerability. He had an attorney present during a 2018 interview for “Death Row Chronicles” and carefully chose his words in other interviews.
Dorsey noted this discrepancy: “It’s almost like when that [Death Row Chronicles] came out and nothing happened to him…he got lulled into the sense of, ‘Oh, I guess they’re not going to do anything. I’ll just keep doing interviews and I’ll be careful on my own.'”
Next Steps: Potential Plea Deal and Pursuit of Justice
Following his arrest, Keffe D was ordered held without bail. The prosecutor stated during the hearing that Keffe D was “the on-site commander who ordered the death of Tupac Shakur.”
It remains to be seen what charges Keffe D will face and whether a plea deal will be pursued. The possibility of a trial looms, but Dorsey believes that all parties involved would prefer to avoid the inevitable “circus” that would accompany such a high-profile case.
