Former detective says Tupac murder suspect shot caller

A string of testimonies from a former Compton gang detective painted Duane “Keffe D” Davis as a high-ranking, authoritative “shot caller” who could order younger gang members to act, in the 1996 drive-by killing of Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors argue that Davis orchestrated the assassination from the front passenger seat of a white Cadillac, retaliating for a casino brawl involving his nephew. The testimony described a swift, brutal spike in gang violence in Compton in the days after Shakur’s murder, setting off a ten-day period of killings and attempted murders. Davis has previously said he provided the gun and that Davis’ nephew was involved, while prosecutors acknowledge there is no physical evidence tying Davis to Las Vegas that night. The defense has highlighted the absence of physical evidence and phone records, framing the case around gang hierarchy and the theory that Davis gave the order rather than fired the shot himself.