JACKSONVILLE, FL – A Jacksonville woman faces murder and evidence tampering charges after authorities say she fatally beat a man with a hammer, leaving a handwritten note on his body in what investigators describe as a gruesome scene.
Police responded early on July 2 to Cross Creek Apartments on Manotak Avenue following a report of a disturbance. When officers arrived, they found 41-year-old Waduta Woodley unresponsive behind a stairwell outside one of the units. Officials said he suffered severe blunt force trauma to the head and face.
A pool of blood marked the area, while investigators found a white sheet of paper placed on Woodley’s chest. Written in green highlighter, the note accused the victim of inappropriate behavior with children, according to police reports.
Paramedics pronounced Woodley dead at the scene. Officers quickly identified 21-year-old Journee McGrew, who lived in the apartment nearby, as a suspect. She was detained along with her father and brother, who had arrived after she reportedly tried repeatedly to contact her mother.
Investigators executed a search warrant on McGrew’s apartment, recovering bloody footprints leading to the bathroom and a blood-stained hammer believed to have been used in the attack. Detectives also collected bloodied clothing, a pink notebook with loose paper, and a green highlighter.
Family members told authorities that McGrew contacted them shortly after the incident, saying Woodley had been at her home earlier in the night and allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward her. According to police documents, she stated she struck Woodley with a hammer after he refused to leave and became physically aggressive.
During a subsequent interview with detectives, McGrew alleged that Woodley had sexually abused her for years. However, investigators said electronic messages she sent before the attack included an invitation to Woodley, in which she told him she had been “fantasizing” about him and wanted to spend time together.
Video evidence and testimony indicate the two visited multiple stores before returning to McGrew’s apartment around 1 a.m. She told officers the confrontation escalated after they drank alcohol, leading to the fatal altercation.
Following the incident, McGrew is being held without bond at the Duval County Jail. Her arraignment is scheduled for July 24, 2025. Court records do not list an attorney for her at this time.