21-year-old kills man with hammer, leaves note: Florida cops

Hammer on cracked alley concrete at night

A 21-year-old woman used a hammer to kill a 41-year-old man she accused of grooming her as a child, then she left an accusatory note on his chest, Florida authorities said. Journee McGrew is now charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in a killing described by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as a “domestic dispute.” McGrew’s father started driving to his daughter’s apartment to check on her after she reached out to his wife at 2 a.m. July 2, according to an arrest report filed in Duval County. On his way there, he spoke with her over the phone about what happened, officers said.

She told him the 41-year-old man came to her apartment and “demanded that she have sex with him,” but she turned him down, according to the sheriff’s office. She told her dad the man grabbed her, and she hit him with a hammer, officers said. The dad told investigators his daughter said, “I think he’s dead, Daddy,” according to the report. Her dad told her to hang up and call the police, then he called 911 himself, the sheriff’s office said. When officers arrived at her apartment, they reported finding the victim with blunt force injuries lying in a pool of blood outside McGrew’s unit. On his chest was a note written with a green highlighter that read “PEDO Touches Children,” the sheriff’s office said. Officers saw “copious amounts of blood” on the wall and the ground in front of the door, according to the report.

They interviewed McGrew, who told them the man had been sexually grooming her since she was 8 and had sexually assaulted her in the past, the sheriff’s office said. A few hours before the incident, she told investigators she sent him a sexual text message, saying she regretted how she had treated him, and invited him over to “spend time with him and have sex,” according to the report. She said he came over, and they went out for a while before going back to her apartment at 1 a.m., then they started to drink, officers said. McGrew told investigators the man brought up sex and pressured her when she turned him down, so she asked him to leave, according to officers. As she was walking him out, she grabbed a metal hammer from her closet and hid it behind her back, then he turned toward her at the door and wrapped his arms around her in an “aggressive” way, she told investigators, according to the report.

She pushed him away and there was a physical altercation during which he ended up the ground, and McGrew killed him, according to officers. When law enforcement got the warrant to search her apartment, they said they followed a trail of bloody footprints leading from the front door to the bathroom, where they found a bloody hammer in the sink. Investigators said they collected blood-stained clothes and other evidence from the bathroom. Officers asked McGrew if she invited the man to her apartment to kill him, but her response is redacted from the arrest report. She was arrested without incident. It appears no formal charges were ever brought against the man in Duval County in connection with the sexual grooming McGrew described.

Source: 21-year-old kills man with hammer, leaves note: Florida cops | Miami Herald

Thoughts to Ponder

This heartbreaking case serves as a reminder of the devastating and long-lasting effects that abuse, exploitation, and unresolved trauma can have on individuals and families. While the legal process must determine the facts surrounding the allegations and the killing, Scripture is clear that God condemns those who exploit or harm the vulnerable. Jesus gave strong warnings against causing harm to children (Matthew 18:6), and believers are called to protect the innocent, seek justice, and care for those who have been wounded. At the same time, the Bible teaches that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19) and that justice should be pursued through righteous means rather than personal retaliation whenever possible.

This tragedy also illustrates humanity’s deep need for healing, accountability, and redemption. Sin leaves scars that can affect generations, but the gospel offers hope for both those who have been deeply hurt and those who have committed grievous wrongs. Psalm 34:18 reminds us that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,” while Micah 6:8 calls God’s people to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” with Him. Christians should pray for everyone affected by this case, including those grieving the loss of life, anyone who has experienced abuse, and those seeking justice, that truth would come to light, genuine healing would begin, and God’s mercy and righteousness would ultimately prevail.

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
John 6:35

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Judge in Charlie Kirk murder case finds prosecutor in contempt for public comments, but won’t take death penalty off the table

A prosecutor has been found in civil contempt after making comments on the strength of the murder case against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.  Judge Tony Graf Jr. ruled in a virtual hearing on Friday that the prosecutor was in civil contempt for making comments to the media about a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk’s body.  The defense team asked that Graf block the death penalty in the case, claiming the prosecutors’ comments could sway potential jurors. Graf declined to do so, ruling that the prosecution could continue to pursue the death penalty. 

The defense team previously accused prosecutors, including Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard, of going on a “media tour.”  At a May hearing, Ballard argued that he didn’t speak to the media about case specifics and that he had only remarked generally about how ballistics testing can be inconclusive.  There will be additional jury questionnaires and the jury pool may be expanded, Graf said.  Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, and has not yet entered a plea. His preliminary hearing is set to begin on July 6. That hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to bring Robinson to trial.  Graf ruled earlier this week that a former roommate of Robinson’s will not have to testify in person during the preliminary hearing, which will be open to the public. 

Source: Judge in Charlie Kirk murder case finds prosecutor in contempt for public comments, but won’t take death penalty off the table – CBS News

Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.
Proverbs 15:16

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Inmate serving life sentence charged with 1996 cold case murder of Georgia pastor

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says they’ve charged a man in the cold case murder of a Jeff Davis County pastor decades after the killing. It’s been more than 30 years since 54-year-old James Hand was found shot to death on the roof of his church. Authorities say on June 1, 1996, deputies with the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office discovered Hand’s body. According to investigators, the pastor of the Full Gospel Church in Snipesville was repairing the building’s roof when someone opened fire, shooting Hand multiple times.

Hand’s killer remained a mystery until the GBI says new information led them to charge Zachary B. Harper, a 47-year-old Hazlehurst resident with felony murder and malice murder. James Hand was found shot multiple times of the roof of his Georgia church in 1996, authorities say. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Harper is also serving a life sentence at Jenkins Correction Facility on an unrelated charge murder charge. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are asking anyone with information to call the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103 or the agency’s tip line at 1-800-597-8477. Once the investigation is finished, the GBI will turn the case file over to the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Source: Inmate serving life sentence charged with 1996 cold case murder of Georgia pastor – CBS Atlanta

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17

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