Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Murdering Father Who Shielded Baby Son

Tamarius Blair Davis, 27, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of Dustin Wakefield, 21, who was fatally shot on August 24, 2021, while protecting his one-year-old son. The sentence was handed down by Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Laura Stuzin.

Davis pleaded guilty in May to second-degree murder, attempted murder, and child abuse. At the time of the attack, witnesses reported that Davis approached Wakefield's family at a restaurant in Miami Beach, pointed a pistol at the infant, and said, "It's time to die." Wakefield intervened, jumping in front of his son, and was subsequently shot five times, including at least once in the head.

At the sentencing hearing, Davis's attorney suggested his client believed he was in a video game during the attack, a claim attributed to his use of mushrooms. Davis himself stated he had randomly chosen Wakefield to shoot and apologized to the victim's family, expressing remorse and claiming the act was not representative of who he is.

Judge Stuzin expressed skepticism that drug use was the sole factor, stating the murder was preventable and that "something lurking in your inner being that was dark." She acknowledged the difficulty in sentencing, balancing the prosecution's request for a life sentence against the defense's plea for a sentence of no more than 25 years. She ultimately imposed the 50-year sentence, noting Davis's age and his guilty plea, which spared the victim's family a lengthy trial. Davis will receive credit for the five years already spent in jail and will be eligible for parole after serving at least 25 years.

Wakefield's widow, Karina Olguin, testified about the horror of her husband's final moments. She recounted how Wakefield, hearing her yell about their son, got their child, Eli, and took him to her grandmother before Davis opened fire. She described her husband as a hero and an amazing, loving father for shielding their child. Olguin also shared the personal impact of the loss, having grown up without a father herself and wanting her son to have a father figure. Eli is now seven years old and frequently asks about his father.

Wakefield's father, Matthew Wakefield, addressed Davis, stating that while Davis decided to kill, his son decided to surrender his life so his son could live. He remarked that his son would have helped Davis if he had only asked, but instead, Davis asked for his son's life.

Davis was apprehended shortly after the shooting in a nearby alley. He had also been captured on camera firing at another man minutes before the fatal shooting, though that individual escaped unharmed.

Members of Davis's family also testified, describing him as a respectful, calm, and hardworking individual who attended church. His father stated he did not recognize his son as the person who committed the murder, and his mother expressed that while he did a "monstrous thing," he is "not a monster."