Prosecutors in Las Vegas have named Sean Diddy Combs on the witness list for the murder trial of Duane Keffe D Davis.
Davis stood trial on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, accused of the 1996 killing of rap star Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors linked Combs, once one of the most powerful executives in the music industry, directly to the 63-year-old defendant as proceedings opened.
The trial marks the first time anyone has been brought to court over the shooting of Shakur, an influential figure in American hip-hop who died nearly three decades ago.
Allegations and gang charges
Prosecutors presented Davis as the mastermind who planned and ordered the fatal attack, although they stated that he did not pull the trigger himself. According to the prosecution, the killing was ordered in retaliation for the physical beating of Davis's nephew just hours earlier.
Davis is charged with homicide with intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal street gang. Prosecutors are seeking to demonstrate that he played a central role in organizing the drive-by shooting.
Davis, identified as a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang in California, is the only person ever charged in connection with Shakur's death. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
Legal history of Sean Combs
Combs found himself in a similar position in the dock roughly one year ago when he faced separate criminal charges. He is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence after being convicted of the transportation of persons for the purpose of prostitution.
Known professionally as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs built a major hip-hop empire in the 1990s as the founder of Bad Boy Records.
The 1996 Las Vegas shooting
Shakur was 25 years old when he was shot inside a car on September 7, 1996. He had traveled to Las Vegas to attend a heavyweight boxing match involving Mike Tyson at the MGM Grand hotel and casino resort.
Hours after the fight, a white Cadillac pulled up alongside the car in which Shakur was riding, and occupants inside the vehicle opened fire. Shakur suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died from his injuries six days later.
