Tupac Shakur was shot at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas in 1996, leaving the rap star fatally wounded. Thirty years later, his manager, Suge Knight, is expected to testify in the murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, who is the suspected orchestrator of the murder.
Tupac’s Manager Will Testify in Trial
The development comes as a surprise because Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, previously insisted he would not testify. In 2023, he told TMZ, “1000% I wouldn’t go.” Meanwhile, Davis, who has been in police custody since his arrest in September 2023, said in a jailhouse interview with KLAS-TV/Las Vegas that he has no intention of accepting a plea deal.
Last year, the 61-year-old Davis was charged with additional offenses while in custody. Despite that, he remains adamant that he will not take a deal, citing health reasons for this. In the interview, he explained that he is in poor health, having battled cancer and having heart problems. He claimed that he wouldn’t live long enough, despite any deal.
Meanwhile, Knight is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence in California for a fatal 2015 hit-and-run. If called to testify, he could do so either in person or remotely. Nevada law permits remote testimony when logistical or safety concerns make an in-person appearance impractical, but such requests should be approved by a judge.
Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, while riding in a BMW driven by Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records. The shooting took place at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas. At a stoplight, a white, four-door Cadillac sedan pulled up to the passenger side, and an occupant rapidly fired into the car.
Knight was struck by debris, while Shakur was struck four times: once in the arm, once in the thigh, and twice in the chest. He was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, but died six days later. Knight remains one of the most important witnesses to the event.
The murder remained unsolved for decades until Davis was arrested at his home in Henderson, Nevada, nearly three years ago. Although prosecutors allege that Davis orchestrated the attack rather than pulled the trigger, Nevada law considers both roles to constitute murder.