‘Biggest case in Las Vegas history!’ Tupac Shakur murder suspect asks police why no media was at his arrest

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Bodycam footage of the arrest of the man charged with the murder of 90s rap star Tupac Shakur reveals him questioning police as to why they didn’t show up with a media entourage.

Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis, 60, was arrested on 29 September in Las Vegas in connection to the murder of Mr Shakur, widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of hiphop.

In the police video, Mr Davis can be seen walking with a bottle of water in nearby Henderson when Las Vegas Metro officers arrived to arrest him.

When an officer called his name, he immediately complied and put down his water and phone on the bonnet of a vehicle.

The officers then handcuffed him, after which he asked for water, which they gave to him when they took him over to a police car.

Once he was detained in the car and on the way to Clark County Detention Center, Mr Davis started to up a conversation, at first asking them if they had been following him the night before, which the police denied.

Then he had another question: “So why you all didn’t bring the media?” he asked, seemingly thinking the notoriety of his case would mean that media would be on hand to record his detention, to which an officer replied: “Why would we bring the media?”

“That’s what you all do,” he responded.

In another segment of bodycam footage, an officer asked if the suspect knew why he was being arrested.

“Biggest case in Las Vegas history!” Mr Davis declared. “September 7th, 1996!”

Tupac Shakur’s death has been shrouded in mystery since he was killed in a drive-by homicide, with many speculations and conspiracy theories over the years.

Meanwhile, Mr Davis has been a long-standing potential suspect, even admitting to having some involvement in the murder in an interview for his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend”.

Mr Davis has not been accused of pulling the trigger in the shooting, which left Tupac Shakur with four bullet wounds piercing his lungs; however, he is deemed to have been the “shot caller”, Lt. Jason Johansson said at a news conference after the arrest.

Investigators claim that Mr Davis plotted the shooting, which was likely to have may have been in retaliation for a fight that a nephew of Mr Davis, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, had with Mr Shakur and his entourage earlier that evening in the MGM Grand hotel-casino.

The arrest came after Mr Davis’ house was searched by police in July, a visit in which they recovered Apple products, laptops and other electronic storage devices, the warrant states.

Three other people were allegedly involved in the rapper’s murder, but they are all dead.

Mr Davis is due back in court on 19 October for his arraignment. No plea has yet been entered, according to court records.