SNOW TV NEWS DESK
Michael Sanft, the Las Vegas-based attorney who represented Duane Keith Davis, popularly known as Keffe D, in the high-profile murder case involving legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, has been found dead at his home.
Sanft, 55, was discovered inside his Las Vegas residence on Friday morning, according to his friend, Michael Sloan, who confirmed the development to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Authorities have yet to establish the cause and manner of his death. However, police reportedly said there were no immediate indications of suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.
His death comes at a significant moment in the ongoing legal battle surrounding Tupac’s murder, particularly as Sanft had recently taken steps to challenge Davis’ conviction.
Court documents obtained by Fox 5 Vegas show that the attorney filed a notice of appeal on October 30, just days after Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on October 13.
Davis, 63, was convicted of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon over his alleged role in the September 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur.
The rapper, who was 25 at the time, was shot four times in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He died in hospital six days later, leaving behind a musical legacy that continues to influence generations of hip-hop artists.
For nearly three decades, the circumstances surrounding his killing remained one of the most discussed unsolved mysteries in music history.
Davis eventually emerged as a central figure in the case after making statements about his involvement in the shooting. In 2008, he reportedly admitted to having knowledge of the killing while discussing ways to avoid possible criminal charges. He also made further claims in his 2019 memoir, in which he described his alleged role in the attack.
Investigators linked the killing to an earlier confrontation at the MGM Grand casino on the Las Vegas Strip, where Tupac and members of his entourage assaulted Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson, hours before the shooting.
Prosecutors alleged that Anderson was the gunman who fired the fatal shots, while Davis helped organize the attack. Anderson, however, was killed in a shootout in 1998, two years after Tupac’s death.
Davis became the first person formally charged in connection with the rapper’s murder.
Sanft’s death now adds another development to an already lengthy and closely watched legal saga, coming just as the appeal process against Davis’ conviction was getting underway. The circumstances surrounding the attorney’s death remain unclear.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
Email: snowmediaconnect@gmail.com
