Man Accused of Murdering Tupac Shakur Seeks to Suppress Evidence in Court

Duane 'Keefe D' Davis, the man charged in connection with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, is seeking to suppress key evidence ahead of trial, arguing it was obtained through an unlawful nighttime search. Davis was arrested in September 2023 and has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in relation to the drive-by shooting that took place off the Las Vegas Strip nearly three decades ago. His legal team has now filed a motion claiming the search of his Henderson home violated legal standards governing when warrants can be executed after dark.

Attorneys Robert Draskovich and William Brown argue that the judge who approved the nighttime warrant relied on a 'misleading portrait' of Davis as a dangerous, active drug dealer. According to the motion, Davis left the narcotics trade in 2008 and later worked in oil refinery inspection, living quietly with his wife for nearly a decade at the time of the search. The defence states that the court was not informed that Davis was a 60-year-old retired cancer survivor with adult children and grandchildren, resulting in what they describe as a 'clearly erroneous factual determination'.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department previously said executing the warrant at night was necessary to safely secure the residence and prevent potential barricading. Police have declined to comment on the defence's latest claims due to ongoing litigation. Davis' lawyers also argue that his arrest stems from unverified public statements in which he claimed to be present in the white Cadillac involved in the shooting, asserting that the story brought financial and legal benefits through documentaries and his 2019 book. A separate attempt to dismiss the charges was denied by the Nevada Supreme Court in November.