An Astoria man faces murder charges for allegedly bludgeoning his wife to death, according to the district attorney.
Jordan Hawes, 32, was arrested by Connecticut State Police on February 4 after officers found his wife dead in bed at their 30th Street apartment two days earlier.
“I did something wrong. I surrender myself,” he allegedly told arresting cops.
The victim — Tara Hawes — suffered extreme blunt force trauma to her head and body, said cops, who allegedly discovered two knives and a baseball bat — all apparently smeared with blood — at the couple’s home. Her car, a gray 2008 Jeep Liberty, was reported missing and was later found unoccupied at a southbound rest stop on Interstate 95 near Bridgeport, Connecticut.
“The defendant is accused of savagely beating to death the woman whom he purportedly loved. If convicted, her brutal and senseless death merits serious punishment,” said District Attorney Richard Brown.
The victim — a special education teacher in Brooklyn — was last heard from at approximately 9 p.m. on January 30, according to the criminal complaint.
The district attorney said Hawes sent a text message the following morning to an unidentified individual, saying his wife would not be going to work that day due to an emergency in his family.
Hawes was also allegedly observed by individuals — and on video surveillance — pawning various items of jewelry, including a wedding band and a number of wedding rings, between January 31 and February 2 at a pawn shop in Astoria. He allegedly also attempted to withdraw money from various ATMs using his wife’s credit card, the district attorney said.
Cops searching the couple’s residence found a note blotched with what appeared to be blood stains.
“I don’t know what . . . happened last night, but my life is destroyed,” the district attorney said part of the note read. “I killed my best friend.”
Shortly after his arrest, Hawes — a Manhattan chef — suffered an apparent seizure and was taken to a local hospital, according to the district attorney.
He has since recovered, waived extradition and has been returned to Queens, where he faces a number of charges: second-degree murder, third-degree grand larceny, third- and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree grand larceny, third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
If convicted, Hawes faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
