A man accused of a tragic shooting that claimed the life of a young father nearly five years ago has now confessed to the crime. The father had heroically shielded his infant from gunfire at the time of the incident.
Tamarius Blair Davis admitted to being under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms when he fatally shot 21-year-old Dustin Wakefield. The shooting occurred while Wakefield was on a family vacation in Miami on August 24, 2021.
According to a police report accessed by NBC 6 South Florida, Davis approached the patio of La Cerveceria, an oceanside restaurant, and randomly shot Wakefield, who was visiting from Castle Rock, Colorado.
The aftermath of the shooting was captured in a distressing video that recorded the chaos and screams of onlookers. Witnesses reported that Davis disturbingly danced over Wakefield’s body after the shooting.
Lora Wakefield, the victim’s grieving mother, expressed relief following Davis’s guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder and child abuse in a Miami-Dade courtroom on Wednesday.
“We’ve been waiting for years for progress,” she told NBC 6. “Taking a life is unacceptable. It was a relief to see justice finally taking its course.”
Lora added that she has already forgiven Davis, and this has helped her cope with the unbearable grief over the past few years.
‘I pray to God that this man is remorseful for his soul sake, I forgive him for his soul sake because he did a horrible thing, and there’s no justifying that,’ she said.
Dustin Wakefield, 21, was shot dead as he ate dinner with his wife Karina Olguin, and their one-year-old son Eli, while they were on vacation in Miami Beach, Florida on August 24, 2021
Tamarius Davis said he was high on mushrooms when he shot Wakefield. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and child abuse on Wednesday
Davis will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison under Florida law.
Wakefield’s widow, Karina Olguin, previously recalled the horror of her beloved husband’s final moments as she fought back tears.
She said that her husband begged for his life, telling Davis he had a son, Eli, who was just a one-year-old.
‘I remember Dustin saying, like, ‘Please, I have a son, he’s just a boy.’ And that’s when it all happened,’ Olguin said.
‘I was like, ‘Dustin, the baby.’ I yelled. Dustin got up, got Eli and took him to my grandma.’
Davis then fired shots at her husband. ‘It was so fast,’ Olguin said.
She remembered her husband ‘as a hero, as a courageous man and as an amazing, loving father’ for shielding their child from harm.
The victim’s uncle, Mike Wakefield, also said Davis approached his nephew and told him ‘it’s time to die’ before pulling the trigger.
Mike, who was not present during the attack but was told about it by his relatives, said his nephew sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to the head.
Dustin Wakefield, 21, was shot dead as he ate dinner with his family in Miami in August 2021
The victim’s heartbroken mother, Lora Wakefield, said she was relieved to hear Davis, now 27, finally plead guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse in a Miami-Dade courtroom on Wednesday. Lora is pictured center with her son Dustin Wakefield on the right
Davis, now 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse on Wednesday
Davis allegedly told police he approached the patio area of the eatery just before 6.30pm and randomly decided to shoot Wakefield.
He told cops he was ‘was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered,’ according to his arrest report.
Just moments earlier, Davis was caught on camera firing at another man, who escaped unharmed.
Davis fled the restaurant, police said, and was captured in a nearby alley.
Cellphone video obtained by the Miami Herald showed Davis lying spread-eagle on his back and smiling as three officers approach with their guns pointed towards him yelling commands, warning him that if he touches his gun he will be shot.
Davis then rolled onto his side into a fetal position, before again rolling onto his back as officers approached.
Davis screamed ‘I give, I give, I give’ as officers flipped him onto his stomach and handcuffed him. A black handgun lay nearby about 10 feet away.
Tommy Davis, the suspect’s father, told The Associated Press that his son had traveled to Miami Beach with some friends.
Davis was arrested in an alley a short time later. He was said to have told cops he shot Wakefield at random because he ‘was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered’
He said his son has never been in trouble or had mental health issues. No arrest record for the younger Davis could be found.
‘This is an unlikely thing,’ the senior Davis said. ‘We are trying to find out what happened. You can imagine we were shocked.’
He said he didn’t know whether his son would ingest mushrooms or other drugs.
‘You think you know your kid, but you don’t,’ he said. ‘It is possible someone gave him something. That is something we need to find out.’
During his initial court appearance, Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Davis held in the Miami-Dade County Jail without bond, telling him: ‘You shot and killed somebody in cold blood.’
Davis will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison under Florida law.
