Miami Beach Tourist's Killer Gets 50 Years in Prison for 2021 South Beach Shooting

A Miami-Dade judge on Thursday sentenced a man to 50 years in prison for the 2021 killing of a tourist on South Beach, ending a case that drew days of emotional testimony from the victim's family.

Tamarius Davis, 27, received 50 years behind bars followed by 25 years of probation. He was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Dustin Wakefield.

Investigators say Davis approached Wakefield, his wife and their young son while the family was having lunch on Miami Beach. He pointed a gun at the couple's baby, they say. Wakefield stepped in front of the weapon and was shot five times by Davis, and he died.

Circuit Judge Laura Stuzin said the case was among the hardest any judge could face. Before announcing the sentence, she said: "I have tried my best to impose a sentence which punishes, but also allows for some hope, even though it may be small."

On count one, she imposed 50 years in state prison with a 25-year minimum mandatory. On count two, she ordered 30 years with a 20-year minimum mandatory. On count three, she gave five years, with credit for time unserved. All of the sentences will run concurrently.

Prosecutors had hoped for a life term, while defense attorneys had asked for no more than 25 years. The judge noted that Davis was under the influence at the time of the shooting and had no prior criminal history. She also said he had something dark inside him that he never sought help for.

Judge Stuzin spoke directly to Wakefield's relatives, who had pressed for life in prison. "Each and every one of you said that anything less than a life sentence was not justice and yet you all understand that nothing will bring your son back," she said.

She also addressed Davis' family, telling them they had lost a son as well. "In a way, you also lost your son on August 2021 because you saw a person, a monster that you did not recognize, commit a horrific and evil act," the judge said.

Davis' attorney, Juan Mourin, said after the hearing that the case could never have had a happy ending. "This is a case that was not going to have a happy ending for anybody no matter what," he said.

As she left the courtroom, Wakefield's mother, Lora Wakefield, offered a short message: "Keep calm and Dustin on."