Michael Sanft, the Las Vegas lawyer who defended Duane “Keefe D” Davis in the Tupac Shakur murder trial, has died at 55. His death was confirmed just one week after a notice of appeal was filed in Davis’s case.

What we know

Sanft was found at his home Friday morning, November 6, according to his friend Michael Sloan, who spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The newspaper reported that his cause and manner of death remained pending and that a police spokesperson said the death did not appear suspicious.

USA Today, in a report republished by AOL, said the Clark County Office of the Coroner confirmed his death.

The conviction, sentence and appeal

Davis was convicted on August 31, 2026, of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon in connection with Shakur’s killing. On October 13, Judge Carli Kierny sentenced him to 40 years to life in prison, FOX5 Las Vegas reported.

The case took decades to reach trial. Shakur was shot in Las Vegas in September 1996; Davis was arrested in September 2023, nearly 27 years later.

According to court records cited by USA Today, Sanft filed a notice of appeal on October 30. His body was found November 6—seven days after that filing. The filing date establishes the sequence of events, but does not establish a connection between his death and the case.

A career beyond the headlines

Sanft served as lead trial attorney at SOS Injury Lawyers. His firm biography credited him with more than 150 cases tried to jury verdict, according to USA Today.

The Review-Journal’s reporting also included tributes from people who worked with him, including prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo and fellow defense attorney Dan Hill. Their recollections described a respected courtroom advocate and friend.

The thought to sit with

A high-profile conviction, an appeal and the loss of a defense attorney are significant developments. Each deserves careful reporting on its own terms.

For readers following the Tupac case, the dates will draw attention. What they cannot do is answer how Sanft died. That finding remains pending, and police have said the death does not appear suspicious.

Respect for Sanft, his family and the public means keeping that distinction clear while awaiting further official information.

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Reporting note: This article draws on reporting by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, USA Today and FOX5 Las Vegas. Bright Light Entertainment News has not independently obtained the coroner’s findings or the appeal filing.