Keffe D Says Nephew Killed Tupac Shakur, Jurors Hear

Duane “Keffe D” Davis told detectives in 2008 that his nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson fired the shots that killed Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, according to a transcript played for jurors in Clark County District Court on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of the 25-year-old hip-hop superstar, admitted in the recorded interview that he was in the car with Anderson when the attack occurred.

Inside the 2008 Police Interview Transcript

Jurors watched a courtroom screen display the rolling text of the audio recording as Davis described the layout of the vehicles on the night of the shooting. According to the transcript, the white Cadillac carrying Davis, Anderson, and two other men pulled up alongside a car carrying Shakur and Death Row Records head Marion “Suge” Knight. Davis stated in the recording, “If we would have been on my side, I would have blasted.” Because Knight’s vehicle was on the opposite side, Davis said he passed his gun to Deandre “Big Dre” Smith, who declined to take it. Anderson then took the weapon from the back seat and started firing, according to Davis’s statements to law enforcement.

Prosecution Relies on Memoirs and Past Interviews

Prosecutors told jurors in opening statements that they would lean heavily on Davis’s own admissions from police interviews, podcast appearances, and his 2019 co-authored memoir, “Compton Street Legend.” Los Angeles Police Department detectives Daryn Dupree and Greg Kading testified that they originally brought Davis in during an investigation into the 1997 shooting death of the Notorious B.I.G. Detective Dupree testified that Davis had briefly been a suspect in that unsolved case before being discounted, noting that “every.body was a suspect at that time.” Detectives told Davis during the 2008 session that the discussion was confidential and that “nothing you say today can be used against you,” according to court testimony.

Defense Argues Admissions Are Fiction

Davis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. His defense attorney argued in court that the prosecution’s narrative is “fiction” and claimed Davis was “full of crap” when he fabricated stories about his involvement. The defense maintained that investigators failed to back up the statements with physical evidence. Furthermore, Davis previously told the FBI that his nephew was not involved in the Shakur shooting, suggesting instead that Marion “Suge” Knight or Sean “Diddy” Combs were responsible. Prosecutors countered that Davis nullified any confidentiality agreements by repeatedly discussing the shooting in public interviews and his book a decade later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is on trial for the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur?

Duane “Keffe D” Davis is on trial in Clark County District Court, accused of orchestrating the shooting.

What did Duane Davis tell detectives in 2008?

According to transcripts played in court, Davis told police that his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, fired the shots that killed Shakur.

What is the defense’s position on Davis’s statements?

Davis’s attorney argued that the prosecution’s case is fiction, asserting that Davis lied about his involvement for stories and that investigators lacked corroborating evidence.