A Georgia U.S soldier was sentenced to life in prison, prosecutors announced on Thursday.
The former U.S. soldier from Georgia will reportedly spend the rest of his life in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to stabbing and killing a former soldier who reported his marijuana use to superiors.
According to the court documents, 29-year old Byron Booker stabbed 21-year old Specialist Austin J. Hawk to death at Fort Stewart in 2020.
In a press release, U.S. Attorney in Savannah revealed that Booker, a former U.S. Army sergeant reportedly went into Hawk’s barracks room and “slashed and stabbed (him) repeatedly.”
In an official statement released by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia David H. Estes who is also a retired U.S. Army Colonel, he claimed 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.”
“The sentence of life in prison with no parole will serve a measure of justice for Austin Hawk’s family, while affirming the outstanding investigative work that led to Booker’s conviction.” Estes added.
In addition, the 21-year old Jordan Brown, who was also a co-defendant in the case has also pleaded guilty to plotting with Booker in the killing. However, he has yet to be sentenced.
“As described in court testimony and in the plea agreements for the defendants, 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,” the U.S. Attorney said in the release.
In an exclusive report published by 11alive, it was revealed that there is no parole in the federal prison system and that Booker will never leave prison with a life sentence.
After Booker pleaded guilty last year, Attorney David Estes released an official statement, confirming that “Byron Booker murdered a former fellow soldier in cold blood in retaliation for that soldier performing his duties as a service member.”
“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,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a prepared statement.
