Former detective says Tupac murder suspect was gang 'shot caller' who
had final say in shooting
[August 26, 2026]
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. and JESSICA HILL
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A former Compton gang detective testified Tuesday that
Duane “Keffe D” Davis was a high-ranking “shot caller” whose authority
meant younger gang members would not have opened fire on Tupac Shakur
with Davis present unless he allowed it.
Robert Ladd, a former Compton police officer who spent years
investigating gang homicides, described Davis as a leader of the South
Side Compton Crips who could order younger members to act.
Prosecutors have not accused Davis of firing the shots that killed
Shakur in Las Vegas nearly 30 years ago. Instead, they allege Davis
orchestrated the shooting in retaliation for a casino brawl hours
earlier involving Shakur and Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane”
Anderson. Under Nevada law, someone who helps another person commit
murder can be convicted of the crime.
Ladd testified that Shakur's shooting triggered a 10-day war in Compton
between the South Side Crips and Mob Piru, resulting in three killings
and 10 attempted murders.
Davis has said in past interviews that he was riding in a white Cadillac
with Anderson and two other men when they pulled alongside Shakur and
Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight in a black BMW. In a
2008 police interview played for jurors last week, Davis said he
provided the gun and Anderson opened fire.
Asked Tuesday who would have been the leader among the four men in the
Cadillac, Ladd answered, “Mr. Davis.”
Ladd said that Anderson, a younger-ranking gang member, could not have
opened fire with Davis in the car without Davis' permission. If Davis
had told the others to handle the dispute later, Ladd testified, “there
wouldn’t have been a shooting.”
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Robert Ladd, a former Compton, Calif., police officer who was part
of the department's gang unit, testifies during the trial for Duane
Davis, related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark
County District Court Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Tuesday,
Aug. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher, Pool)
 Defense attorney Michael Sanft
emphasized the lack of physical evidence supporting that theory.
Ladd acknowledged that, aside from Davis’ own admissions, he had no
physical evidence placing Davis in Las Vegas that night and no phone
records showing Davis ordered the shooting.
Law enforcement experts said they collected bills and letters from
Las Vegas hotels in Anderson’s and Davis’ residences, but they
didn’t know when they were dated, or the current location of that
evidence.
Prosecutors have argued that Davis’ own words are central to their
case, while Sanft has characterized his client’s accounts as
fabricated bravado and accused investigators of failing to
corroborate them.
Ladd was the 23rd witness called by prosecutors. The state is
expected to rest its case Wednesday, with the defense expected to
finish Friday and closing arguments anticipated Monday.
___
Associated Press Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. reported
from Los Angeles.
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