Former U.S. Army soldier sentenced to life in prison for murder of fellow Fort Stewart soldier

FORT STEWART, Ga. (WTOC) - A former soldier will serve life in prison after admitting he killed a fellow soldier in the barracks at Fort Stewart.

Byron Booker was sentenced to life in prison and a fine of $2,500 for the deadly stabbing of Specialist Austin Hawk.

That’s after he pleaded guilty to premeditated murder.

“This sentence holds Booker accountable for his actions and hopefully brings some closure to the victim’s family,” said Rusty Higgason, assistant special agent-in-charge of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Field Office.

Federal prosecutors say Booker worked with another man, Jordan Brown, to get into Hawk’s barrack after Hawk reported Brown for using marijuana.

Brown pleaded guilty in December to charged in the case.

He’ll be sentenced at a later date.