Former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, ending one of the most closely watched cold cases in US music history.

A Las Vegas jury on Monday convicted the 63-year-old Davis of one count of murder with a deadly weapon in connection with Shakur’s death in a drive-by shooting on 7 September 1996.

Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, did not fire the fatal shots himself. Prosecutors argued that he planned the attack and supplied the gun used by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, after Anderson had been involved in a fight with Shakur and his associates earlier that night.

Davis stood silently in court as the verdict was announced and later said he intended to appeal. Members of Shakur’s family became emotional, with some embracing and crying following the verdict.

Shakur, one of hip-hop’s most influential artists, was 25 when he was killed at the peak of his career. He has sold more than 75 million records worldwide.

The prosecution’s case relied heavily on Davis’ own statements about the killing. He had acknowledged being inside the white Cadillac from which the shots were fired and discussed his involvement during a 2008 police interview.

He later provided further details in his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend”, as well as in media interviews and documentaries.

Prosecutors argued that Davis’ public statements effectively amounted to admissions of responsibility. They said his role as a senior gang figure and his presence in the car during the shooting made him accountable for the murder.

Davis’ defence, however, argued that his claims were exaggerated stories intended to generate publicity and sell books. His lawyer, Michael Sanft, told jurors there was no evidence directly proving Davis had orchestrated the killing.

The jury nevertheless reached a guilty verdict within hours of receiving the case.

Shakur’s murder took place during a period of intense rivalry between the East Coast and West Coast hip-hop scenes, alongside longstanding conflicts between the Bloods and Crips. The case subsequently became the subject of numerous theories and speculation but remained unsolved for decades.

Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny has scheduled Davis’ sentencing for 13 October. Davis told the judge he wanted to appeal the conviction.