Former Fort Stewart U.S. Army Sergeant faces life in prison for stabbing death of fellow soldier

Drew Favakeh, Savannah Morning News
·2 min read
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Crime and Safety

A former U.S. Army sergeant at Fort Stewart has admitted he stabbed to death a fellow soldier whose body was found in a Fort Stewart barracks room in June 2020.

Byron Booker, 29, of Ludowici, pleaded guilty to premeditated murder of a member of the U. S. Uniformed Services, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. Now, Booker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, according to his plea agreement.

His co-defendant, Jordan Brown, 21, of St. Marys, awaits further court proceedings on charges of conspiracy, premeditated murder, assault upon a member of the U. S. Uniformed Services and other charges.

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Booker, a former U.S. Army sergeant, admitted he and Brown discussed “silencing” Specialist Austin J. Hawk, 21, at Fort Stewart Military Reservation, in retaliation for Hawk reporting Brown to U.S. Army leadership for marijuana use. After gaining entry to Hawk’s barracks room shortly after midnight on June 17, 2020, Booker “slashed and stabbed Hawk repeatedly with a sharp-edged weapon," as described in the plea agreement. A medical examiner later noted that Hawk received 40 separate stab or slash wounds. Hawk’s body was found in his Fort Stewart barracks room the next day.

“Booker’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.”

Drew Favakeh is the public safety reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Former Fort Stewart US Army Sergeant admits murdering fellow soldier