Most law enforcement and mainstream investigators now point to Duane “Keffe D” Davis and other members of the South Side Compton Crips as the key figures behind Tupac Shakur’s killing, but the case is still not fully resolved in court and no one has been convicted for pulling the trigger.

What officially happened

  • Tupac was shot on September 7, 1996, in a drive‑by while riding in a BMW with Suge Knight in Las Vegas and died six days later on September 13, 1996.
  • Witness problems, gang ties, and limited early follow‑through by investigators meant the murder stayed classified as an unsolved homicide for decades.

Who “they” think killed Tupac

When people ask “who do they think killed Tupac,” they’re usually referring to:

  • South Side Compton Crips crew : A major newspaper investigation and later analyses argued that a group of South Side Compton Crips carried out the shooting after a fight between Tupac and gang member Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson earlier that night.
  • Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson : Many journalists and fans believe Anderson was the actual shooter in the white Cadillac, allegedly using a .40‑caliber Glock, though he was never charged and was killed in 1998.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis and recent developments

  • In 2023, Las Vegas authorities charged Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis with murder, saying he was the gang leader who ordered and orchestrated the hit from the car that pulled up beside Tupac.
  • Prosecutors say Davis was the only surviving person from that vehicle and that his own past statements about supplying the gun and green‑lighting the attack helped revive the cold case and secure the indictment.

Other theories people talk about

Even with a primary suspect, pop culture and forums still spin alternative ideas:

  • Rival rapper/industry plots : Some theories suggest involvement from East Coast rivals or music‑industry figures, including claims that Notorious B.I.G. offered money and the gun to the Crips, though this has never been proven in court and remains disputed.
  • Conspiracy and inside‑job theories : Wild theories range from government plots to claims Suge Knight arranged it, but available affidavits, police work, and recent charges have pushed most serious discussion back toward the Crips‑gang retaliation scenario.

So where does it stand now?

  • Legally, there is an active murder case against Duane “Keffe D” Davis as the alleged mastermind, not the triggerman, and the court has not yet delivered a final verdict.
  • In public opinion, the most widely accepted view is that Tupac was killed in a gang retaliation shooting involving South Side Compton Crips, most likely with Orlando Anderson as the gunman and Davis as the shot‑caller, but it’s still not “officially solved” in the sense of a completed, final conviction for the shooter.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.