The lawyer who defended Tupac Shakur’s convicted killer, Duane “Keffe D” Davis, has been found dead in Las Vegas.
Michael Sanft, 55, was discovered inside his home on Friday, November 6. His death came just days after he challenged Davis’ murder conviction.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sanft’s friend, Michael Sloan, confirmed his death. Police reportedly said there were no immediate signs of suspicious activity.
The cause and manner of death remain pending. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances.
Sanft’s death occurred about a week after he filed a notice of appeal on October 30. The filing challenged Davis’ conviction over the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur.
Davis, 63, received a sentence of 40 years to life in prison on October 13. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder involving a deadly weapon.
Shakur was 25 when gunmen attacked his vehicle in Las Vegas in September 1996. He suffered four gunshot wounds and died in the hospital six days later.
Prosecutors linked Davis to the killing through his role in planning the attack. He had previously spoken about his involvement, including in a 2019 memoir.
Investigators said Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson, was involved in the events leading to the shooting. Anderson had reportedly fought Shakur at the MGM Grand casino hours earlier.
Anderson was identified as the gunman but died in a shootout two years later. Davis became the first person charged in connection with Shakur’s murder.
Sanft, a Nevada defence lawyer, represented Davis without charge. Following the verdict, he maintained that his legal team had done its best.
“We had the best team possible in this case, from the motion practice work on this appeal to our investigator to our firm here at SOS Injury. We all did our part. I don’t see what I could’ve done differently,” Sanft told FOX5.
He also recalled Davis’ reaction after the jury delivered its decision.
“He had reminded me this is phase one. Because I was upset with the verdict, I was very disappointed in the jury. Mr. Davis was the one who said, ‘Don’t worry about it, man, this is the first phase,’ and I said, ‘I understand, I hate to lose,’” he said.
