A Las Vegas jury has convicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis in the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur, the first conviction in the decades-old case.

The 63-year-old Davis was found guilty Monday of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon after jurors deliberated for less than three hours following a weekslong trial.

Davis faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors said they would dismiss the gang-enhancement portion of the charge because of difficulties involving witnesses.

The case centred on the September 7, 1996, shooting of Shakur in Las Vegas. The rapper was stopped at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled alongside his vehicle and gunfire erupted. Shakur died from his injuries six days later, while Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who was also in the vehicle, survived after being wounded.

Prosecutors did not allege that Davis pulled the trigger. Instead, they argued that he was criminally responsible for the killing because he obtained and supplied the gun and directed the attack. Under Nevada law, a person who assists another in committing murder can be convicted of the crime.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told jurors that Davis and others were seeking revenge after Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, was beaten by members of Shakur’s entourage earlier that night. Palal argued that the group’s search for Shakur, followed by a U-turn when they spotted his vehicle, demonstrated planning rather than an impulsive attack. “It’s a plan, not an impulse,” Palal said.

Prosecutors relied heavily on Davis’ own statements over the years, including accounts in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, and interviews in which he acknowledged being inside the Cadillac. Although Davis’ descriptions changed in some respects, prosecutors argued that his central account consistently placed him in the vehicle.

The defence, led by attorney Michael Sanft, challenged the reliability of Davis’ statements and argued that he had reasons to exaggerate or fabricate his accounts. Prosecutors countered that other evidence, including testimony about the rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru and the identification of Davis and Anderson as suspects, supported their case.

The verdict prompted an emotional reaction in court, with Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, crying and embracing prosecutors. Davis’ son was also present and covered his face with one hand after the verdict was announced.

The trial featured testimony from 24 prosecution witnesses and three defence witnesses over nine days. Because nearly three decades had passed since Shakur’s death, investigators and prosecutors also faced limitations involving older evidence, including questions surrounding hotel surveillance footage and a hotel bill recovered during a search of Davis’ residence.