Trial for Tupac’s Murder Suspect Delayed Until February 2026

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the sole individual charged in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, has been postponed until February 2026. The rescheduling comes after Davis’ defense team requested additional time to interview witnesses they claim can establish his absence at the time of the shooting.

Originally slated to begin in mid-March 2025, Judge Carli Kierny moved the trial date to Feb. 9, 2026, during a hearing on Tuesday. “It looks like there are quite a few things that are left to be done to get this case prepared so that Mr. Davis can have effective assistance of counsel,” Judge Kierny remarked. “Given that, it appears as though I really don’t have much of a choice but to grant it,” she added.

During the hearing, the prosecution did not oppose the motion for a trial delay. Prosecutors allege that Davis was the ‘shot caller’ behind the drive-by shooting that took Shakur’s life on Sept. 7, 1996. Following a fight at a Mike Tyson boxing match, Shakur was shot while in a BMW with Suge Knight and succumbed to injuries six days later.

In a motion filed last Friday, Davis’ attorney, Carl Arnold, asserted new evidence undermining the prosecution’s case. Arnold maintained that Davis was not in Las Vegas at the time of the shooting, and he reported that his private investigator has identified multiple witnesses who could potentially strengthen Davis’ claims of innocence.

Arnold further implicated Reggie Wright Jr., who formerly worked security for Death Row Records, claiming Wright’s team orchestrated the shooting. Wright, who testified before the grand jury that indicted Davis, denied any involvement, stating, “Good luck finding someone saying that, that’s credible. It’s heartbreaking they keep dragging in my name. I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

Arnold emphasized in a statement, “With every new piece of evidence, it becomes increasingly clear that critical facts have yet to be fully examined. We are actively conducting further investigations to ensure that Mr. Davis receives the fair trial to which he is constitutionally entitled.”

Arguments regarding these new allegations are set for a hearing on Feb. 25. Davis, 61, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and has remained in custody since his arrest in September 2023. He is also facing separate charges related to an incident at the Clark County Detention Center in December 2024.

The delay continues a long saga for the high-profile case surrounding Shakur’s tragic death. Shakur was struck four times in the drive-by shooting, and while Las Vegas police have yet to solve the murder, recent developments have reignited public and media interest in the case.