Police Explain Why It Took Nearly 30 Years to Make Arrest for Tupac Shakur Murder

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recently hosted a press conference and explained why it took them nearly 30 years to make an arrest for the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur.

Las Vegas Police Hold Press Conference About Arrest for Tupac Murder

On Friday (Sept. 29), officials with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department held a press conference to discuss the arrest of Duane "Keefe D" Davis, 60, who was taken into custody for his role in 'Pac's slaying on Friday morning.

"This case has been reviewed by our homicide team and homicide detectives for over two-and-a-half decades," Lt. Jason Johansson told the assembled press in the video below. "And ultimately, our persistence in this investigation has paid off."

Johansson then went through their timeline of events leading up to the shooting. Police say the catalyst for the crime was Tupac and Suge Knight being involved in jumping known Southside Compton Crip member Orlando Anderson in the lobby of the MGM Grand following a Mike Tyson fight on Sept. 7, 1996. Following the incident, police say Keefe D, who is also a reputed Southside Compton Crip member acquired a firearm and joined up with Anderson and two other men, Terrance Brown and Deandre Smith.

They located Tupac and Suge Knight at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Kovall Lane heading to an afterparty and began shooting at the rapper, who died from his wounds on Sept. 13, 1996. Anderson was killed in a non-related shooting in 1998. Brown and Smith have since also passed.

"Within the first month of the investigation, our detectives knew most of the information I just briefed you on," Johansson continued. "However, we never had enough evidence to bring this case forward and present it for criminal charges...It wasn't until 2018 that this case was reinvigorated, as additional information came to light related to this homicide."

Read More: Tupac Shakur Shot on the Las Vegas Strip: Today in Hip-Hop

The Sufficient Evidence

According to Johansson, the evidence that broke the case open included Keefe D's "own admissions to his involvement in this homicide investigation that he provided to multiple media outlets."

"We've conducted countless interviews and corroborated numerous facts that were not only consistent with the crime scene the night of the incident, but also corroborated and consistent with the sequence of events that night," Johansson added.

Read More: Tupac Shakur Dies: Today in Hip-Hop

Police Arrest Keefe D for Tupac Shakur Murder

Police took Keefe D into custody this morning. The arrest came two months after they executed a search warrant on his home, seizing hard drives, computers, magazine articles, photos and other items. Over a decade ago, Keefe D confessed to having knowledge of the murder of Tupac Shakur and revealed he was present during the shooting. He has since doubled down in more recent interviews including a 2019 sit-down on VladTV.

Davis has been indicted for murder with use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal street gang.

See the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police explaining why it took nearly 30 years to make an arrest for the Tupac Shakur murder below.

Watch the LVMPD Press Conference