Tupac murder trial enters day three of witness testimony

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — With twelve witnesses already having testified, the Tupac murder trial enters its third day of witness testimony on Wednesday.

Tuesday saw eight witnesses take the stand, including a medical examiner, a former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sergeant, and a former security guard for the Maxim Hotel, now the Westin.

Other witnesses to testify included Suge Knight associate James McDonald, who worked at Club 662, alongside Reggie Wright Jr., head of security for Death Row Records at the time who became general manager following Knight’s nine-year prison sentence.

Defense attorney Michael Sanft and McDonald clashed during an intense exchange after McDonald refused to answer certain questions.

“You are telling us that people back in Compton, for some reason, knew what happened here in Las Vegas,” he said while testifying on Tuesday.

“Treat me as a hostile witness. You’re not going to talk to me and tell me, as a grown man, what I have to do up here. I’m not finna sending him to prison. You are. Was I in the entourage when Tupac got shot? No. What you’re going through, brother, is what you’re going through. I didn’t want to be a part of that.”

Prosecutors also asked Wright point-blank about his potential involvement in the killing.

“Did you have anything to do with the murder of Tupac Shakur?”

“Absolutely not,” Wright replied.

More witnesses are expected to testify when court resumes Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Court started at 1pm today. I am monitoring it all from FOX5.
I will update this thread when more information comes in and when we hear from the first witness of the day. @FOX5Vegas

— Victoria Saha (@VictoriaSaha) August 19, 2026

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1:15 p.m.

Court resumed with the defense and prosecution discussing a witness’s upcoming testimony.

1:23 p.m.

Jury returns to courtroom and Wade Lee, a former FBI agent, is called to the stand.

Mentions being assigned to task force focused on gangs in southside LA. Speaks on investigating Davis for drug related offenses. Describes having a proffer interview session in 1998 with Davis on those charges.

When asked by the prosecutor if Lee was investigating Tupac’s murder as well, he said “Not exactly, however it was known to us that Mr. Davis was a person of interest.”

It is later revealed to the court that Davis spent time in prison on drug charges, a detail typically hidden from the jury. The judge would address the court regarding revelation.

“Additionally, ladies and gentlemen, you have heard and will continue to hear testimony regarding, drug trafficking, conspiracy, gang affiliation, as well as a federal conviction of Mr. Davis’s,” Judge Carli Kierny stated.

“These are not offered to show that Mr. Davis has a propensity to commit crimes. Instead, they are offered to establish credibility of the statements made by defendant in relation to this case, as well as motive and identity.”

2:12 p.m.

Cross examination of Lee begins.

The defense asks Lee if there is any proof of Davis putting out a hit on anyone. Lee says no.

Additionally asks if Lee verified with anyone that Davis was in Las Vegas during Tupac’s killing. He said he did not.

2:49 p.m.

Prosecutors redirect to clarifying that the proffer interview is different then granting someone immunity.

2:56 p.m.

Jury questions are asked to Lee.

One question concerns the proffer session, while the other asks how the FBI verified and followed up on the information Davis provided.

3 p.m.

Lee finishes his testimony and court takes short recess.

3:18 p.m.

Jury returns to courtroom and the next witness is called: Daryn Dupree, former detective with LAPD. He was tasked to investigate the murder of Biggle Smalls.

Dupree details how he met with Davis to discuss his involvement in the murder of Biggie. Dupree asked Davis if he was involved in the murder of Biggle. Dupree says Davis told him, “at the time no, we don’t have anything to do with that one.”

When asked what he meant by “That one, what do you mean?” Dupree says Davis said “we did the other one.”

Dupree is then asked what he believed Davis was talking about. “Me personally, the only other one was Tupac. But, we had nothing, we didn’t think he -- we were talking about Christopher Wallace (Biggie). We didn’t ask him any questions about Tupac, he offered that on his own.”

Dupree also recalled a past interview in which Duane “Keffe D” Davis described what happened to Tupac Shakur.

Prosecutor: “What was Mr. Davis’ version of events as it relates to what happened with Tupac Shakur?”

Witness: “Mr. Davis stated that his nephew, Mr. Orlando Anderson, was jumped and beat up... after the Tyson fight. They went looking for Tupac [and] Suge... Mr. Davis had the gun at first, but they came up on the passenger side... so he couldn’t shoot across the driver. He handed the gun to Dre [Andre Smith] in the back seat... He was afraid to shoot. Mr. Anderson grabbed the gun and shot... into Mr. Knight’s car that Mr. Tupac Shakur was in.”

Additionally, Dupree described Sean “Diddy” Combs alleged role in Tupac Shakur’s murder, claiming Combs owed Duane “Keffe D” Davis money.

“Sean Puffy Combs was supposed to have given money to Zip Martin to give to Mr. Davis for payment of the Tupac murder,” Dupree stated.

“Fast forward, we go to Mr. Davis. He says he can rekindle that relationship with Mr. Zip Martin and [talk] about the money that was given from Sean Puffy Combs to Mr. Martin that never got to Mr. Davis.”

4:27 p.m.

Court ends for the day and is slated to return Thursday at 1 p.m.

Stay with FOX5 for live updates.