THE gangster who bragged about murdering rapper Tupac Shakur in a book and in interviews is facing "imminent charges", according to police sources.
Las Vegas homicide detectives are “optimistic” they have built enough evidence against Compton Crip gang leader Keefe D to finally close the Tupac Shakur murder case after almost 27 years, insiders have told The U.S. Sun.
Leading officers, with the backing of the district attorney, have allegedly built a strong case against Keefe D - who has previously confessed to helping hunt down and assassinate the iconic rapper.
The district attorney’s office is due to present their case to a Las Vegas grand jury, two sources confirmed to The U.S. Sun.
A criminal case will be brought “imminently” and the district attorney “is looking at first degree murder potentially for Keefe D”, based on Nevada law, one source said.
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At the grand jury hearing, which is held behind closed doors in secret, a jury will decide whether the evidence is strong enough to prosecute Keefe in the next month.
Keefe, 60, has given multiple interviews and written a memoir confessing to his role in the shooting of the hip hop legend - claiming that he rode in the car and handed nephew Orlando Anderson the murder weapon before he fired the fatal shots.
Insiders say that “long and careful consideration” was made by Metro Police investigators before moving forward on the case, which has remained unsolved since September 1996.
A raft of evidence and witness statements about Tupac’s murder and Keefe’s involvement will be presented to the grand jury, but the ex Compton gangster kingpin is not allowed to be present.
Grand juries are most often brought in for high profile and serious cases to help the DA determine what reaction of an independent jury to allegations.
If the grand jury decides that the evidence supplied is strong enough for them to suspect Keefe of being criminally guilty in any capacity for Tupac’s death, the case will move forward.
'WORLD IS WATCHING'
One source said: “The homicide team did not enter into this investigation lightly.
"They knew that the world would be watching if they took any action against Keefe. They do not want to make any missteps.
“One key aspect was building a strong case and file of evidence detailing how Keefe was one of the four suspects in the car, was pivotal in the actual murder, then the destruction of critical evidence.
“Keefe’s own words and comments in his interviews and memoir obviously have him as potential murder suspect. But there is a lot more to the case than simply showing a jury those statements.
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“The detectives have been piecing together as much information, evidence and witness statements about Keefe’s role that night and actions afterwards.
Keefe has gloated so much about this that he has effectively talked himself into huge legal trouble."
Law enforcement source
“They have spent months pulling it together and continue to hunt down corroborating evidence and other possible witnesses for the grand jury.”
A separate source added: “We expect for this matter to become a criminal case imminently. Keefe has gloated so much about this that he has effectively talked himself into huge legal trouble.
“Who knows what Keefe will do. Maybe he might try to negotiate a plea deal.
“The attention globally on the DA and police department will be extreme.”
KEEFE'S CONFESSION
September 7 marks the 27th anniversary of the killing of Tupac.
The California Love rapper was critically wounded by shots from a semi automatic pistol fired from inside a white Cadillac filled with gang members.
Keefe’s memoir, called Compton Street Legend, confirmed his involvement as an accomplice, in his own words.
Keefe wrote about how he helped secure a gun to murder Tupac as revenge for Pac beating up his cousin Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson after a Mike Tyson fight in the MGM Grand easier that night
He detailed how he helped co-ordinate a team of fellow LA gangsters to hit and kill the rap icon and his Death Row record label buzz Suge Knight.
In a confessional passage, Keefe threw the Glock pistol in the back of a Cadillac, where his nephew Anderson and another gangster sat.
SHOTS FIRED
Later after encountering Shakur by chance, Keefe revealed that shots were fired from behind him into Suge and Tupac's vehicle as they were driving along the Strip.
Keefe claimed that Tupac appeared to be reaching for a weapon before the execution, but his side fired first, essentially killing the pop star.
He also confessed to hiding the Cadillac and gun after the shooting, and then having it repainted, repaired and returned to a car rental firm, which made forensics tough to pin down.
Keefe's full admission appears in the chapter entitled 'The Main Event' in Compton Street Legend.
JURY'S OUT
Mob lawyer, veteran Vegas attorney and former mayor Oscar Goodman explained how the grand jury process works.
“When police are investigating a case, they usually go to the district attorney who convenes a grand jury of 26 people, and a majority of them come in and they have to vote for either a bill or a no bill.
"And that means either indicting or not indicting the case, which would then get the ball going as far as the court process is concerned.
“The defendant is not present during the grand jury proceedings.
"The grand proceedings are purportedly secret."
Goodman, who remains a member of the bar, but no longer actively practices, expects Keefe D to be arrested once the grand jury hears the evidence.
“I used to say, it's so easy to get an indictment - you can indict a ham sandwich," he said.
"The grand jury just basically goes along with whatever the prosecuting attorney wants them to come back with after the present of the evidence, there is no defense.”
In the latest twist in the murder case, homicide officers comes after cops searched a home in Henderson, Las Vegas, believed to be an address connected to Keefe D.
The U.S. Sun contacted the Las Vegas District Attorney's Office for comment.
Metro Police declined to comment when approached by The U.S. Sun, saying: "This is still an ongoing investigation."
