A Florida teenager has been charged with murder after calling 911 to admit he was “involved in a homicide.”
Justin Hawker, 17, was arrested on September 20, a day after he voluntarily contacted police and told a dispatcher, “I was involved in a homicide.” According to court documents reviewed by Law&Crime, officers had already visited his home to question him about the disappearance of 37-year-old Andie Morrell, whose body was discovered on September 19, wrapped in bedding and duct tape, in a vacant lot behind a Tampa building.
Investigators learned from Morrell’s roommate that she worked as an exotic dancer who made “house visits.” Morrell was last heard from the night of September 10, when she texted her roommate that she was heading to Hawker’s home.
When Morrell went missing, her family tracked her cellphone using an app and found it stationary at Hawker’s address since the night she vanished.
Surveillance footage from the business where her body was found later showed a stolen vehicle entering the parking lot early on September 11. A man matching Hawker’s description exited the driver’s side carrying a gas can, poured an unknown liquid on the body, and attempted unsuccessfully to set it on fire. The footage also captured the car hitting a median before the driver removed the license plates and fled on foot.
Deputies who questioned Hawker and his 15-year-old girlfriend said both appeared nervous. Inside the home, officers smelled bleach and noticed several bleach stains on the carpet. The girlfriend claimed she had spilled bleach while cleaning. An adult male associated with the residence was confirmed to be on a cruise at the time of Morrell’s disappearance.
A search warrant for the home uncovered blood spots in the living room, an empty gun magazine in Hawker’s bedroom, clothing matching the man in the surveillance footage, and a roll of duct tape.
When questioned, Hawker told deputies he had gone to a playground to stargaze on the night of September 10 and fell asleep there. He also said he used bleach to clean another stain, later claiming he was under the influence of mushrooms and requested a lawyer.
Witnesses contradicted his story. One neighbor reported seeing a Black woman fitting Morrell’s description on Hawker’s porch that night and heard two loud bangs resembling gunshots. An autopsy later confirmed Morrell died from a gunshot wound that pierced her aorta and right lung.
Another witness, a friend of Hawker’s girlfriend, told police she received a video call from the girlfriend via Instagram, during which she showed her a firearm found in Hawker’s room and said she would explain everything later.
That same night, Hawker placed the 911 call that led to his arrest. He was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail and charged as an adult with second-degree murder with a firearm and tampering with evidence.
During a court hearing on Wednesday, Hawker was denied bail and remains in custody. His arraignment is scheduled for October 13.
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