Almost three decades after the killing of Tupac Shakur, one of hip-hop’s most enduring mysteries continues to captivate the public. Though the September 1996 Las Vegas shooting has been analyzed, mythologized, and debated for years, recent lawsuits, resurfaced testimonies, and new investigative attention have brought an old name back into the spotlight: Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.

Combs — a legendary producer, label mogul, and cultural icon — has been repeatedly accused in rumors and unproven allegations of having some connection to Tupac’s murder. He has denied such claims each time. Law enforcement has never charged him, and official investigations have never publicly named him as a suspect. Yet the accusations persist, often resurfacing whenever new evidence or interviews appear.

This article examines what is known, what has been alleged, what evidence exists, and — equally important — what remains unproven.

The Night Tupac Was Killed — Setting the Stage

On the night of September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was riding in the passenger seat of a BMW driven by Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight. While stopped at a traffic light on Flamingo Road in Las Vegas, a white Cadillac pulled up beside the vehicle. A gunman in the backseat opened fire.

Tupac was hit four times and died six days later.

The motives proposed over the years range widely — from gang retaliation to music-industry rivalry — but the strongest competing narratives have always centered on the intensifying East Coast–West Coast feud between:

Bad Boy Records, led by Sean Combs, and

Death Row Records, led by Suge Knight.

While the feud was often sensationalized, the atmosphere surrounding both labels contributed to the belief that violence could have stemmed from industry rivalries.

Early Claims Linking Combs to Tupac’s Murder

The 2002 Los Angeles Times Investigation (Later Discredited)

In 2002, journalist Chuck Philips wrote an investigation for the Los Angeles Times alleging that associates of Bad Boy Records may have played a role in Tupac’s death — and implied that Combs may have had prior knowledge.

by the newspaper after evidence emerged that the article relied on fabricated documents. Combs vehemently denied the story.

While discredited, the article helped cement public suspicion, and it remains one of the reasons Combs’ name is still mentioned in conspiracy theories.

Keefe D and the Confessional Interviews

A major shift in public speculation occurred when>Duane “Keefe D” Davis, a South Los Angeles gang figure, began giving interviews around 2018.

Keefe D claimed:

He was in the Cadillac the night Tupac was shot.

His nephew, Orlando Anderson, was the shooter.

The motive involved retaliation for a fight between Tupac and Anderson in the MGM Grand lobby earlier that night.

These claims became even more significant when police later arrested Keefe D in 2023 for his alleged role in Tupac’s murder.

Where Diddy Enters Keefe D’s Story

In interviews — including a 2019 documentary and various podcasts — Keefe D asserted that Combs had offered him money to kill both Tupac and Suge Knight.

It is critical to note:

No evidence has corroborated this claim.

Combs hasnever been charged in connection with Tupac’s death.

Police have never publicly confirmed Keefe D’s statements about Combs.

Keefe D’s credibility has been repeatedly questioned, as he has changed or embellished aspects of his story over the years. Some investigators believe his interviews were self-serving attempts to monetize his past or negotiate legal leniency.

The 2023 Las Vegas Indictment — Did It Mention Combs?

When Keefe D was indicted for murder in 2023, the charging documents:

detailed alleged gang motivations,

described the Cadillac ambush,

connected the shooting to the MGM Grand altercation,

butdid not name or implicate Sean Combs.

Law enforcement officials emphasized that the case was rooted in gang retaliation, not industry conspiracies.

Yet the absence of Combs in the indictment did not stop speculation. Instead, Keefe D’s earlier claims resurfaced online, reigniting rumors.

Civil Lawsuits and Allegations Against Combs

In 2023–2024, multiple civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault, trafficking, and misconduct were filed by former associates and partners. Combs denied all allegations, and several cases were settled out of court without admission of wrongdoing.

Though these lawsuits had nothing to do with Tupac’s murder, their high-profile nature caused many older accusations — including the murder conspiracy rumors — to re-enter public discourse.

The lawsuits also led to increased media scrutiny, and journalists began re-examining earlier claims linking Combs to violent incidents in the 1990s, creating a renewed appetite for theories that had largely faded.

Suge Knight’s Changing Statements

Suge Knight, currently incarcerated for unrelated charges, has given numerous interviews about Tupac’s killing. His statements have evolved over time:

In some interviews, he said he did not believe Combs had anything to do with it.

In others, he hinted that “industry people” might have played a role.

At times, he suggestedCombs tried to have him killed, though he has never provided evidence.

Knight’s shifting narratives and personal history with Combs make his statements difficult to evaluate objectively. Investigators have historically treated his claims with skepticism.

What Law Enforcement Has Actually Said

Over the years, police departments in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and federal agencies have investigated potential leads. None have publicly identified Sean Combs as a suspect.

Detectives involved in the case have repeatedly emphasized:

the most credible motive remains the gang retaliation theory,

Tupac’s death was likely tied to street-level conflict, not a music-industry conspiracy,

no evidence supports claims that Combs ordered or funded the killing.

The 2023 indictment of Keefe D reinforces this approach: prosecutors focused entirely on gang rivalry, not celebrity connections.

Why the Allegations Persist — The Cultural and Psychological Angle

Even without substantiated evidence, accusations against Combs continue for several reasons:

The East Coast–West Coast Rivalry Mythos

The feud between Bad Boy and Death Row became one of the most dramatized cultural conflicts in music history. Many fans view the feud as a Shakespearean narrative — one that demands villain figures and conspiratorial motives.

Combs’ Enormous Influence

As one of the most successful music moguls ever, Combs is a larger-than-life figure. Public imagination gravitates toward dramatic explanations when powerful people are involved — even without evidence.

Keefe D’s Claims Repeating in Pop Culture

His interviews went viral multiple times, creating the illusion of credibility through repetition, even though many investigators dismiss him as unreliable.

The Lack of Closure

Tupac’s murder remains unresolved in the public’s mind. Even with Keefe D’s arrest, many feel answers arrived too late — or that more people were involved.

A case without closure easily becomes fertile ground for conspiracy theories.

What We Actually Know — A Summary of Verified Facts

To date:

No law enforcement agency has charged, arrested, or publicly named Combs as a suspect in Tupac’s murder.

Allegations involving Combs come primarily from one source: Keefe D, whose credibility is disputed.

The official criminal case focuses on gang retaliation, not industry figures.

Media reports over 30 years have included both errors and retractions.

Combs has consistently denied any involvement.

Everything beyond these points remains unproven allegation, speculation, or rumor.

The Unanswered Questions

Despite progress in the Keefe D prosecution, the following questions remain:

What role did the East/West feud actually play in the events leading to the shooting?

Was the MGM Grand fight the sole catalyst, or part of a larger network of conflicts?

Why did Keefe D repeatedly implicate Combs — was it truth, exaggeration, or self-preservation?

Will new testimony emerge in future legal proceedings?

Only the courts, not public speculation, can ultimately provide resolution.

Conclusion: Accusations WithoutClosure

The narrative surrounding Tupac Shakur’s murder is shaped as much by myth as by evidence. While recurring accusations against Sean “P. Diddy” Combs attract attention, they remain unverified, challenged by investigators, and unsupported by charges.

At present, the only legally recognized suspect tied to the murder is Duane “Keefe D” Davis, whose indictment centers on gang retaliation — not a conspiracy involving Combs.