The Five Men At The Center Of Tupac’s Murder Mystery As Trial Begins

Nearly 30 years aft Tupac Shakur was gunned down successful Las Vegas, a assemblage is group to perceive grounds successful nan long-unsolved sidesplitting erstwhile Duane "Keffe D" Davis goes connected proceedings adjacent week.

Davis, 63, is charged pinch orchestrating nan Sept. 7, 1996, drive-by shooting that killed Shakur and wounded Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight. He has pleaded not guilty, and his proceedings is scheduled to statesman Aug. 10.

Prosecutors allege nan shooting was retaliation aft a conflict earlier that nighttime astatine nan MGM Grand involving Shakur, Knight and Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, Davis' nephew. Authorities opportunity nan onslaught reflected nan bitter East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry of nan 1990s, arsenic good arsenic pack tensions betwixt Bloods and Crips affiliates.

Here's a look astatine nan cardinal figures astatine nan halfway of nan case.

Tupac Shakur

Shakur was 1 of hip-hop's biggest stars, pinch 5 No. 1 albums, six Grammy nominations and a posthumous induction into nan Rock & Roll Hall of Fame successful 2017. He besides received a prima connected nan Hollywood Walk of Fame successful 2023.

The rapper, calved Lesane Parish Crooks successful New York successful 1971, was riding successful nan rider spot of a achromatic BMW driven by Knight erstwhile a achromatic Cadillac pulled alongside adjacent nan Las Vegas Strip and opened fire. Shakur was struck aggregate times and died six days later astatine property 25.

His family has agelong criticized authorities for taking astir 3 decades to bring criminal charges successful nan case.

Marion "Suge" Knight

Knight, who founded Death Row Records and signed Shakur to nan label, survived nan shooting aft being grazed by slug fragments.

Now 61, Knight is serving a 28-year situation condemnation successful California aft pleading nary title to voluntary manslaughter successful nan 2015 fatal hit-and-run decease of Terry Carter.

In his 2019 memoir, Davis described himself and Knight arsenic nan only surviving eyewitnesses to nan shooting.

Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson

Authorities person agelong identified Anderson arsenic nan suspected gunman, though he was ne'er charged and many times denied immoderate involvement.

According to prosecutors, Anderson was assaulted by Shakur and members of his entourage during a conflict astatine nan MGM Grand conscionable hours earlier nan shooting, providing nan alleged motive for nan attack.

Davis wrote successful his memoir that he handed a weapon to nan backmost spot of nan Cadillac but did not place who fired nan fatal shots.

Anderson was killed successful an unrelated pack shooting successful Compton successful 1998.

Deandrae "Freaky" Smith

Smith, besides known arsenic "Big Dre," was riding successful nan backmost spot of nan Cadillac beside Anderson.

Although investigators person agelong believed Anderson fired nan shots, expansive assemblage grounds introduced different theory.

Former Davis subordinate Denvonta Lee testified that Smith confessed to firing nan shots aft taking nan weapon from Anderson because Anderson did not person a clear angle.

Lee was not successful nan Cadillac and testified astir what he said Smith later told him.

Smith died of earthy causes successful 2004, according to nan Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

Terry "Bubble Up" Brown

Brown was allegedly driving nan achromatic Cadillac during nan shooting.

Davis wrote that nan group spotted Shakur's BMW aft seeing nan rapper leaning retired of nan model and greeting fans. According to nan memoir, Davis told Brown to move nan car astir earlier they pulled alongside nan BMW moments earlier nan gunfire.

Brown was killed successful a 2015 shooting astatine a aesculapian marijuana dispensary successful Compton.

Investigators person said neither nan Cadillac nor nan weapon utilized successful nan shooting has ever been recovered, leaving prosecutors to trust heavy connected witnesser testimony, Davis' ain statements and different grounds erstwhile nan long-awaited proceedings begins.