MIAMI — A 27-year-old man said Wednesday that he will plead guilty to second-degree murder in the 2021 shooting death of a tourist outside of a South Beach restaurant.
Tamarius Blair Davis Jr. shot and killed Dustin Wakefield, 21, of Castle Rock, Colorado, as he shielded his 1-year-old son, Eli, on Aug. 24, 2021 as they sat outside of La Cerveceria de Barrio, a Mexican restaurant at 1412 Ocean Drive.
The then-22-year-old Davis, of Norcross, Georgia, was a total stranger and was believed to be in a magic-mushroom-induced psychosis at the time.
He also pleaded guilty to attempted murder and child abuse charges Wednesday in connection with the shooting.
Wakefield’s father, Matt Wakefield, said it’s the first step towards justice.
“It’s just been a lot of waiting, a lot of praying, a lot of patience, a lot of trusting in the Lord that this will work out in Dustin’s favor,” he said, describing his son as “a loving man, not just to his wife, not (just) to his son, but to all of us.”
Davis’ sentencing proceedings are expected to take two to three days.
No date has been set for Davis’ sentencing hearing; a pre-sentencing investigation must take place by June 12.
Matt Wakefield said he and other family members plan to be there when Davis is sentenced. But any sense of justice won’t take away a lifetime of pain.
“I wouldn’t say that I speak to Dustin, but I visit his grave site and I imagine in my mind that day that he and I will be reunited in heaven,” Matt Wakefield said. “I look forward to it.”
Davis could face 25 years to life in prison.
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