Kathmandu— The mystery surrounding the death of rap icon Tupac Shakur may finally be solved as Duane 'Keffe D' Davis prepares to stand trial for orchestrating the fatal shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. Davis, who faces charges of murder and attempted murder, is accused of leading a drive-by attack that killed Shakur while also wounding rap mogul Marion 'Suge' Knight.

The Night of the Shooting

On September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was in the passenger seat of a black BMW being driven by Suge Knight when a white Cadillac pulled up beside them and opened fire. Knight survived but was wounded, while Shakur died six days later at the age of 25. The shooting is believed to have stemmed from a rivalry between East Coast Bloods and West Coast Crips factions within the hip-hop community.

Davis' Role in the Incident

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, now 63, has been accused of orchestrating the shooting. According to his memoir, he and Knight were childhood friends who grew up together in Compton, California. In his book, Davis describes a tense confrontation with Knight moments before the shooting occurred.

Davis claims that Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson, his nephew, was beaten by Shakur's associates earlier that day at the MGM Grand casino, which he says gave them an excuse to retaliate.

Uncertain Gunman

Law enforcement has long suspected that Anderson was the gunman. However, Davis' memoir and grand jury testimony suggest otherwise. Denvonta Lee, a former associate of Davis, testified before the grand jury that it was Deandrae 'Freaky' Smith who fired the shots at Shakur and Knight from the backseat of the Cadillac.

The upcoming trial is expected to shed new light on one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries. With Davis set to face charges, the case may finally provide closure for Tupac’s family and fans.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.