Tupac Shakur Murder Suspect Duane 'Keefe D' Davis Claims He's 'Innocent' in First Interview Since Arrest

While speaking with ABC News from the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Duane "Keefe D" Davis -- who was arrested in September 2023 in relation to Shakur's 1996 killing -- asserted his innocence, claiming the prosecution doesn't have evidence to pin him for the rapper's murder.

"I'm innocent," Davis, 61, stated. "I ain't killed nobody. Never did, never killed nobody."

"I did not do it," he added. "They don't have nothing. And they know they don't have nothing. They can't even place me out here. They don't have no gun, no car, no Keefe D, no nothing."

Davis claimed prosecutors have "no evidence against" him, and "can't even put me in Las Vegas," where the shooting occurred.

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was in a car with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight in Las Vegas, following Mike Tyson's fight, when a white Cadillac pulled up alongside them. Shots rang out, hitting Shakur. He died the following day in the hospital.

Davis claimed that he was in Los Angeles at the time of the murder, saying he has "about 20 or 30 people" who can corroborate his alibi and will do so at his murder trial.

"Prove that I orchestrated this. Your key witness orchestrated this. Their top witness is the lead suspect," he added, referring to Reggie Wright Jr., whom was was Knight's security guard and has denied all involvement.

Authorities said that Davis became a person of interest due to his own admission that he was in that Cadillac. They jumped back on the case back in 2018, per TMZ.

Prosecutors also cited Davis' interviews prior to his arrest, along with his 2019 self-published memoir, titled Compton Street Legend, in which he is listed as a co-writer. "The last living eyewitness to Tupac's murder is telling his story," the book's logline reads.

However, according to Davis, he "never read the book," telling ABC News of his co-writer, "I just gave him details of my life. And he went and did his little investigation and wrote the book on his own."

He claimed he made his alleged admissions presented in the book and in public appearances for money. "They paid me to say that," he said.

ABC News reported that Davis said he was "fed information by police," and Davis claimed he allegedly confessed so they would "let me go."

"That's the only way you're walking free," he told the outlet. "It would've been selfish to let everybody go down because of me."

Looking back, Davis said, "I should have said nothing."

In September 2023, Davis was arrested and charged in connection with Shakur's murder. He was indicted with one count of open murder with use of a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement.

However, Las Vegas authorities said they don't believe he's the shooter, but the group's leader, according to the Associated Press at the time.

"Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime, and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out," Las Vegas police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson said in a press conference.

According to ABC News, Davis has attempted to make bail multiples times since his arrest, but has been denied. He also faces an additional charge stemming from a fight with another inmate, which is set to go to trial next month.