SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — An investigation into the stabbing death of a former soldier led to an admission of guilt by another servicemember involved in the plot.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia says that Jordan Brown, 21, of St. Marys, is awaiting sentencing after a plea of guilt to Assault Upon a U.S. Servicemember Involving Bodily Injury or a Deadly Weapon, and Retaliation Against a Witness Involving Bodily Injury.
The terms of the plea agreement will be settled during sentencing. Brown faces no less than 16 and a half years and no more than 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Brown’s co-defendant, Byron Booker, 29 of Ludowici is awaiting sentencing after previously pleading guilty to Premeditated Murder of a Member of the United States Uniformed Services
In accordance with his plea agreement, Booker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.
Specialist Austin J. Hawk, 21, was killed by his fellow servicemen in relation to Hawk reporting Brown to U.S. Army leadership for marijuana use which led to a preliminary inquiry for a court martial proceeding against Brown.
Booker admitted to conspiring with Brown before gaining entry into Hawk’s room just after midnight on June 17, 2020. He then “slashed and stabbed Hawk repeatedly with a sharp-edged weapon.” A medical examiner stated that Hawk suffered 40 separate stab or slash wounds.
Hawk’s body was discovered the next day.
“Brown’s plea is a direct result of the hard work and persistence put in by the FBI Savannah Resident Agency and our partners at the U.S. Army and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hawk’s family and friends will never be rid of the pain this senseless murder has caused them, but hopefully it gives them some sense of resolve to know that justice will be served.”
The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI are investigating the case, which is being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Darron J. Hubbard.
