A former U.S. Army sergeant pled guilty to stabbing a fellow soldier to death on American soil, and a federal judge sentenced him to life in federal prison without parole.
The guilty plea from 29-year-old Byron Brooker came back in October of 2022 under the charge of “premeditated murder of a member of the United States Uniformed Services,” Military Times reported. Brooker stabbed 21-year-old Austin Hawk to death at Georgia Army barracks located at Fort Stewart because he had reported him to Army leadership for smoking weed.
Former U.S. Soldier Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Fort Stewart Servicemember Stabbed to Death in Installation Housing: Byron Booker, a former U.S. Army sergeant, has been sentenced to life in prison for stabbing to death a former fellow sold… https://t.co/MDN0t6ygou
— FBI Atlanta (@FBIAtlanta) February 3, 2023
The other solider, 21-year-old Jordan Brown, is currently awaiting sentencing. (RELATED: Army Vet Files Lawsuits After Being Arrested For Holding ‘God Bless The Homeless Vets’ Sign)
“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,’” according to a press release from the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Hawk’s death was the result of 40 separate stabbing wounds, which would have been “fatal individually,” Military Times noted.
Former Army Sgt. Byron Booker pleaded guilty to premeditated murder in the killing of Spc. Austin J. Hawk on June 17, 2020. https://t.co/MZqw4k1IhC
— Task & Purpose (@TaskandPurpose) October 28, 2022
Retired Army Colonel turned U.S. Attorney Estes said that “Byron Booker squandered his own military career by illegally using drugs, and then murdered a former fellow soldier in cold blood in retaliation for that soldier honorably performing his duties.” (RELATED: Alleged ‘Weed Lady’ Rep. Nancy Mace Asks Rep. Matt Gaetz If He’s On Drugs)
Hawk’s dead body was found in Army barracks in Georgia a day after his killing.
The other solider Brown who had partook in the killing awaits sentencing, pleading guilty back in October of 2022 to “assault upon a U.S. servicemember involving bodily injury and retaliation against a witness involving bodily injury.”
This guilty plea agreement could result in the Army accomplice serving anywhere from 16.5 up to 20 years in prison, according to the Military Times report.