Nevada judge delays trial for suspect in Tupac’s murder to next year

A Nevada judge on Tuesday delayed the murder trial of the sole suspect ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap legend Tupac Shakur, postponing it for nearly a year.

Citing new developments from the defense and the need for a fair trial, the judge said she had little choice but to reschedule.

Why It Matters

Duane “Keffe D” Davis is the only suspect ever charged in the 1990s murder of rap legend Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. A former gang leader, Davis is accused of orchestrating the shooting near the Las Vegas Strip that resulted in Shakur’s death shortly after a casino brawl involving Shakur and Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson. Davis was arrested in September 2023 in his neighborhood near Las Vegas.

In interviews and his 2019 memoir detailing Davis’ experiences as a leader of a Crips gang faction in Compton, he recounted acquiring a .40-caliber handgun and giving it to his nephew, who was seated in the back of a car. According to Davis and authorities, shots were fired from this car at Shakur, who was in another vehicle. Shakur succumbed to his injuries a week later at the age of 25.

Davis and his attorney had previously contended that he should not have been charged with murder due to immunity agreements he claimed to have made with federal and local authorities years ago. Their attempt to dismiss the case failed.

What To Know

Originally set for next month in Las Vegas, the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis is now scheduled for February 9, 2026. The judge also ordered prosecutors and the defense to return for a status hearing over the summer.

“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 Tuesday.

When the judge asked if he was OK with the lengthy delay, Davis agreed.

The delay comes after Davis’ defense team filed a motion on Friday to request additional time for witness interviews and investigative work. The lawyers said a private investigator identified witnesses who could testify that Davis was not at the scene of the shooting.

The defense attorneys also suggested they have witness information to indicate that Shakur was in stable condition after the shooting but later died suddenly after being hospitalized for a week.

Since his September 2023 arrest, Davis has continued to request for bond—set at $750,000—and has faced repeated denials.

Davis’ attorney had also previously offered to provide additional financial records to prove that Davis and the music record executive aren’t planning to reap profits from the sale of Davis’ life story and that the money was legally obtained.

Attorney Carl Arnold has argued that Davis should’ve never been charged because of immunity agreements he reached with federal and local prosecutors years ago.

What People Are Saying

At the July hearing, Davis spoke and attacked prosecutors for “trashing” his family: “They not only ugly on the outside but they ugly on the inside too.”

What’s Next

The trial is now scheduled for February 9, 2026.

This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.

Reporting by The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Update 02/18/25 1:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.