Man pleads guilty to South Beach tourist murder. He said he was high on mushrooms
A man who gunned down a Colorado tourist inside a South Beach restaurant while, he said, he was high on mushrooms admitted to the killing in court on Wednesday morning.
Dressed in orange jail attire, Tamarius Davis, 27, stood up before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Laura Stuzin and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, attempted murder and child-abuse charges stemming from the Aug. 24, 2021, murder of 21-year-old Dustin Wakefield.
The plea was not the result of a deal with prosecutors, meaning his sentence will solely be left to the judge. The sentencing, prosecutor Casey Hughes said, will take two or three days.
Davis is facing anywhere from more than two decades up to life in prison.
A sentencing date has not been set, although both the prosecution and defense said they are looking at days in August or September.
Wakefield was dining with his family in the outdoor patio area at the restaurant. After the shooting, Davis was arrested in a nearby alleyway, telling police he “randomly chose” to shoot Wakefield — and attack another man minutes earlier on the street.
READ MORE: A South Beach tourist was shot to death. Suspect told police he was ‘high on mushrooms.’
Wakefield was in Miami Beach on vacation with his family, wife and 1-year-old son, a family member said. Wakefield worked in the construction industry and loved music and hunting.
Davis, who worked as a UPS driver, was also visiting South Florida; he lived in Norcross, Georgia, a city just outside Atlanta.
Another shooting before the killing
Moments before the fatal bullets, Davis had shot at another man on 14th Street, according to police. A Miami Beach park ranger heard the gunfire and witnessed Davis chasing the man.
The park ranger said he saw Davis appearing to fire toward the ground, police said. A bystander video captured Davis pacing down a street toward Ocean Drive, next to the entrance of the Winter Haven hotel.
He aimed and fired at a man — who was not hit, police say.
After his arrest, Davis told investigators he was “high on mushrooms which made him feel empowered,” according to police.
Davis has been behind bars at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond since his arrest. When he is sentenced, he will likely get credit for the almost five years he has served in jail.
After his hearing, Davis was quickly whisked away to the hallway leading to the holding cells.
