News of January 20, 1997
"No Direct Evidence, No Witness": Las Vegas Investigation Stalls
Four months after the shooting, Las Vegas police believed they knew who had fired. They could prove nothing, and their last hope was dead.
In mid-January 1997, police in Las Vegas believed they knew who had shot Tupac. But without witnesses, they could make no headway. “We have no direct evidence and no witness,” Sergeant Kevin Manning told the Las Vegas Sun on January 20. It would stay that way until someone was willing to testify.
The Weapon Alone Would Not Be Enough
They knew what type of weapon had been used, Manning said without giving details. Even if the handgun turned up, after so much time it could hardly be linked to a shooter anymore, not even through fingerprints.
He described Yafeu Fula as the last big hope. The Outlawz member had been sitting in the car behind Tupac and was the only person to state that he might be able to identify the shooter. Shortly before his death in November, investigators had reportedly prepared a photo lineup. Police saw no connection between the murder of Fula and the Tupac case. More on the course of events: The Investigation.