A Los Angeles jury on Monday convicted Duane Davis, a former gang leader, of first-degree murder in the 1996 killing of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, in a ruling that ended one of the most famous pending cases in US history. Duane Davis was tried on charges of ordering the murder and providing the weapon used in the crime, in a decision that the American media described as a turning point in a case that had eluded justice for decades.

Published on: 09/01/2026 - 08:48

A US federal jury on Monday found Duane Davis, a former Los Angeles gang leader, guilty of the 1996 murder of famous rapper Tupac Shakur.

The former leader of the South Side Compton Crips was tried on charges of ordering the murder and providing the weapon used in the crime.

After deliberations that lasted only a few hours, the jury convicted Davis of "premeditated murder using a deadly weapon." The ruling in this case will be issued on October 13. Addressing Judge Carly Kearney, Davis said he intends to appeal the decision.

A case that has eluded justice for decades

This crime remains one of the most famous pending cases in the United States, and the focus of endless discussions among music lovers. Singer Tupac Shakur (or "2Pac"), who died for 25 years, was a central figure in the famous conflict between the rap scenes on the West Coast and the East Coast of the United States.

With hits like “California Love” and “All Eyes on Me,” delivered with melodies that blend Groove’s danceable beats with a powerful bass guitar sound, the son of a member of the Black Panther movement embodied the West Coast “bad-boy” persona.

France 24/AFP

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