Former soldier admits to killing fellow soldier in Fort Stewart barracks room

FORT STEWART, Ga. (WTOC) - A former soldier admitted to stabbing and killing a fellow soldier at Fort Stewart in June 2020.

According to the Department of Justice, 29-year-old Byron Booker plead guilty to premeditated murder for killing Spec. Austin Hawk in a barracks room at Fort Stewart.

Booker, a former U.S. Army sergeant, admitted he and co-defendant Jordan Brown discussed “silencing” Hawk in retaliation for Hawk reporting Brown to U.S. Army leadership for marijuana use. As described in the plea agreement, after gaining entry to Hawk’s barracks room shortly after midnight on June 2020, Booker “slashed and stabbed Hawk repeatedly with a sharp-edged weapon.” 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 awaits sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.

Brown awaits further proceedings on charges of conspiracy, assault upon a member of the United States uniformed services, conspiracy to retaliate against a witness, retaliation against a witness with bodily injury; retaliation against a witness with killing, murder of a member of the United States uniformed services, and premeditated murder.