'They Robbed My Children': Wife Of Slain 'Funnel Cake Man'

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL — Tavares Davis was always trying the patience of his wife NaKesha. A kid at heart with boundless energy and enthusiasm for risk-taking, Davis often looked at life with the optimism and heart of someone whose past looked much different than his own.

One of eight children raised by a single mother in poverty, Davis found himself in murky spots early in his life, caught up in drugs and incarcerated a short time. But he took those hard lessons learned and spun them into a bright future for himself: one with a loving wife and family, and successful business, The Funnel Cake Man. It all halted abruptly Aug. 2 when the 41-year-old father of three was robbed, shot and killed, his body then dropped out of a car in Dolton. He left the house that day at 11:30 a.m. to buy cigarettes, and was killed in broad daylight, his wife NaKesha told Patch.

His family now waits for answers, with a $5,000 reward offered and police fielding leads and tips. NaKesha has publicly urged anyone with information to come forward.

"Who ever robbed my husband has robbed us," Nakesha Davis told WGN. "They robbed me of my husband and partner, and they robbed my children."

NaKesha has been touched by the outpouring of support from those who knew her husband—but not at all surprised. She recalls his personality as one of warmth and ease—one that turned down her fare after he drove her to work in his cab the day they met outside a Red Line station.

She was quick to shirk his attention that day in 2005, saying she was running late and didn't have time. But she needed a ride, and he was driving. They quickly became inseparable, and 14 years married and three children together later, the "rest is history," she said, laughing.

A Kid's Heart And Entrepreneurial Spirit

Tavares always had an itch for the entrepreneurial.

It was during a family visit to Six Flags Great America that he took a look at the line for funnel cakes, and the wheels started turning. He started wondering aloud if there was more of an opportunity there, and would people seek out the taste and fun of typical fair food funnel cakes in everyday life.

NaKesha knew his spirit, but even still found herself laughing at his suggestion.

"He's just the type that feels like he can do anything," Davis said of her husband. "He told me, 'I'm gonna make some funnel cakes for you guys.'"

She came home from her workday at a law office, and Tavares had dinner ready, with his first homemade funnel cakes for dessert. She could see the "hustle" in him coming out.

"Just leave it alone," she chided him, laughing, saying that the food was seasonal and situational, and she was skeptical of its reach beyond that. But Tavares was undeterred.

"He’s always had the entrepreneurial spirit," Davis said. "He’s always had the hustle. He never found satisfaction in working for other people."

He took that pluck and peddled his funnel cakes at the Bud Billiken Day parade in Chicago.

"The crowd, they just loved it," Davis said. "We made a lot of money that day, and that made me a believer."

From Concept To Reality

They returned to the parade the next two years. He plastered his number across the back of their car, advertising catering services. Then they built a website. Requests rolled in to cater corporate events for companies like CarMax, CN Railroad, FedEx and McDonald’s.

"After that, I said, 'Wow, this has just really spiraled into something that I don’t even think he or I had imagined," Davis said.

Shortly after, they opened their first brick-and-mortar location at Southlake Mall in Merrillville, Indiana, in Feb. 2020. They had banked all the revenue from their catering efforts, and opened their first storefront debt-free. They were forced to close a month later as COVID-19 crippled businesses. But his hustle wouldn't let him quit, Davis said. They turned to DoorDash and GrubHub, and that helped them stay afloat.

Two years later, they opened their second location, in Orland Square Mall in Orland Park.

"He was so proud, he had a passion for business," Davis said. "He loved being a business owner.

"He’s a success story for his family and for his community. He’s been incarcerated. He never shied away from telling his story.

"Living that life trying to earn money the wrong way, prompted him to try to navigate that entrepreneurial spirit the right way," she said.

His work ethic rubbed off on his children, too, keeping the business in the family with 20-year-old son A.J. managing the Merrillville location, and 14-year-old Kaliah splitting time between both locations. Having been raised without a father, Tavares was a very hands-on one. He took great pride in his kids dabbling in the business alongside him. NaKesha has said she will keep the businesses open and running, as it's what he would have wanted.

What Comes Next

So many have reached out to her since his death, even friends he had made in the digital space playing video games like Fortnite and Call of Duty (Tavares was a big gamer, they owned every PlayStation and an original Nintendo).

"He wanted to leave a mark on the world, and I believe that he’s done that," Davis said. "People love him, and the outpouring of love and support ... it's really been overwhelming."

Davis is now focused on helping police find her husband's killer. As a professional in the legal services field, she understands the system can be flawed.

"I’ve worked for the public defender’s office, I’ve worked in the justice system," Davis said. "There are so many African American men that are incarcerated, and so many wrongfully incarcerated. I want to make sure the right person is held responsible."

Services have been set for Davis, with a public viewing scheduled for Friday, Aug. 12 from 3 to 6 p.m., visitation for Saturday, Aug. 13 from 11 to 11:30 a.m., and celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Services will be held at Gatling Funeral Home, 10133 S. Halsted St., Chicago.

Davis has started a Go Fund Me in Tavares' memory. The couple's two business locations have been closed since his death. Monies raised will help support employees who have been out of work, as well as carry on his legacy.

Anyone with information on Davis' death is asked to call the Dolton Police Department at 708-841-2533.