Nevada judge reschedules trial for the suspect in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing for next year

Duane "Keffe D" Davis, left, appears in District Court for his involvement in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, Pool)

LAS VEGAS — A Nevada judge on Tuesday postponed the murder trial of the only suspect ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur for nearly a year, saying she had little choice given new developments presented by his defense attorneys and the need to ensure a fair trial.

The trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, previously set for next month in Las Vegas, has been rescheduled for Feb. 9, 2026. The judge ordered prosecutors and the defense to return to court over the summer for a status hearing.

“It looks like there are quite a few things that are left to be done to get this case prepared so that Mr. Davis can have effective assistance of counsel,” Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny said during a short hearing.

When asked by the judge if he was OK with moving the trial that far out, Davis agreed.

Davis' defense team filed a motion Friday seeking more time, saying critical investigative work had to be done and witnesses needed to be interviewed to ensure he gets a fair trial. The lawyers said a private investigator identified witnesses who can testify that Davis was not at the scene of the shooting.

Attorney Carl Arnold, who is leading the defense, said the case involves decades-old allegations and critical facts have yet to be fully examined.

On the night of Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur was in a BMW being driven by Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight. They were waiting at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up next to them and gunfire erupted.

Davis, an ex-gang leader who is accused of orchestrating Shakur’s killing near the Las Vegas Strip, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and has been jailed since his September 2023 arrest.

Davis has acknowledged in interviews and in his tell-all memoir that he provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting and that he was in the car. But his court filings say his descriptions in recent years of orchestrating the shooting were “done for entertainment purposes and to make money.”

Arnold has argued that Davis never should have been charged because of immunity agreements that Davis says he reached years ago with federal and local prosecutors while living in California.

Prosecutors disagree, saying they have strong evidence against Davis and any immunity agreement was limited.

Defense attorneys also are raising questions about the manner of Shakur’s death, saying they have witness information indicating that he was in stable condition after the shooting and died suddenly after being hospitalized for a week. They want to consult medical and forensic experts to evaluate potential alternative causes of death.

Ty Oneil, The Associated Press