A Florida woman has been arrested after she allegedly killed her sleeping boyfriend and dismembered his body in a bathtub before burying his remains in the yard where they lived with their two kids and the victim’s father.
Ashley Otero Averett was arrested on Tuesday, March 17, and charged with one count of first-degree premeditated murder for killing Joseph Martin Eiler, according to court records viewed by Us Weekly.
The case initially began as a missing persons investigation on Saturday, March 14, when Eiler’s father reported he had not seen his son since the early morning on Thursday, March 12, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and viewed by Law & Crime.
The father, who lived on the same property as the couple, told authorities he overheard Averett, 32, and Eiler having an argument around 4 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, at their home in Fountain, Florida. He said he heard his son “cry out” during the argument and “observed him washing his face off saying the defendant struck him with a flashlight.”
He then said that he “overheard what he thought were gunshots at the residence” later that day.
The father grew increasingly concerned when Eiler didn’t show up for work for two consecutive days, while he also said he was unable to get in contact with his son.
Deputies reported to the home and spoke to Averett, who allegedly told them that Eiler left the home with an unknown friend after their argument.
The father contacted deputies again on Monday, March 16, and said that Averett was acting unusual. She reportedly lit a fire in the firepit and asked “what to do with ashes and how to dispose of them.” The father later looked through the ashes and found what appeared to be trigger locks.
He also claimed that Averett initially refused to let him into the home. Once he finally entered, he saw that the bedding had been removed, laundry was being done repeatedly and a firearm was visible on top of a safe. Additionally, he noticed that fresh dirt had been placed in the yard.
Authorities then spoke with a family member, who claimed Averett admitted to killing Eiler. The family member said Averett told her she shot him while he was asleep and she later tried to dismember the body in the bathtub before she disposed of his remains in the yard.
Bay County Sheriff’s Office Captain Jason Daffin told WMBB that the family called 911 in an attempt to turn Averett in so they could protect the two children she shared with Eiler.
“They were in no way trying to assist her or trying to help her get away with anything,” he said. “They were there because there were a couple of small kids in the residence. They were there to try to protect them.”
While speaking to detectives during a post-Miranda interview, Averett allegedly confessed to murdering Eiler.
“The defendant did disclose that she killed the victim by shooting him in the back twice with a .380 caliber pistol,” the affidavit stated. “The defendant stated after shooting the victim he died and she then attempted to remove his limbs in the bathtub with a hatchet and a knife. The defendant stated this all started due to an ongoing argument between the defendant and the victim on the night of March 11, into March 12. Once the defendant partially dismembered the victim’s body, she stated she took his body and parts out into the yard in a gray tote and buried the victim in multiple parts of the yard.”
Averett is being held in the Bay County Jail without bond. It is not currently clear if she has obtained legal representation or entered a plea.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment.
