Posted on 03/18/2026 6:41:33 PM PDT by simpson96
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A Fountain woman was arrested on Tuesday for the alleged murder of her boyfriend.
38-year-old Joseph Eiler was last seen alive early Thursday morning after he had a fight with his girlfriend, Ashley Averett.
Saturday, Eiler’s dad and Averett reported him missing.
During an initial interview with Averett on Monday, investigators reported that Averett said Joseph had left the home with an unknown friend after their argument on Thursday.
Bay County Sheriff’s investigators say there were red flags from the beginning. For instance, Eiler had just started working at a local car dealership.
“Seemed to really enjoy his job. So, he had not shown up there. We couldn’t get any calls going through to his cell phone to try to make contact with him. His vehicle was left at the house. So, some of those things were kind of peculiar. But, you know, it happens sometimes when people show back up,” Bay County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Daffin said.
Eiler’s father, who lives on the same property as the couple, contacted investigators again to report suspicious activity at the home. He allegedly said he heard the argument between the couple, as well as what he thought were gunshots in the early morning hours.
Later, Eiler’s father noticed something far more suspicious.
“The victim’s father had seen her doing a lot of cleaning that was kind of unusual and was doing stuff out in the yard that was unusual. Was burning some stuff in some barrels, kind of controlling who came in and out of the house where they went to,” Daffin said.
The father claims Averett asked him how to dispose of ashes. He said he also saw freshly disturbed soil in the yard and a firearm placed in an unusual location.
When deputies arrived at the scene, Averett’s family confronted them. The family was actively calling 9-1-1 after Averett allegedly admitted to shooting Eiler while he was asleep and trying to dispose of his body.
“They were in no way trying to assist her or trying to help her get away with anything. They were there because there were a couple of small kids in the residence. They were there to try to protect them,” Daffin said.
Deputies interviewed Averett for the third time since Eiler’s reported disappearance. This time, they say she confessed to shooting Joseph twice with a 380 handgun, dismembering his body, burying the remains in the yard, and buying supplies to clean the scene.
Deputies arrested her on an open count of murder and began searching the property.
At the home on Creek Haven Road, investigators found human remains in multiple areas in this yard on Tuesday morning. Deputies focused on spots of disturbed soil as they worked to piece together exactly what happened to Joseph Eiler.
Investigators believe Averett used knives and other sharp objects to dismember Eiler’s body.
“It looks like the majority of her trying to dispose of him was by burying him,” Daffin said.
There were five burial sites in the yard.
Adding to the morbid details, authorities believe Averett spray-painted “Joe I love you” on a connect box next to one of the sites where they found buried remains.
Deputies say it’s extremely disturbing.
“Not an easy scene to work on, but very proud of them. And the hard work that they put in and all the answers they’ve been able to get for that family and try to give them closure the best we can,” Daffin said.
Eiler and Averett had one child who lived with them, along with a second child of Averett’s.
She is being held without bond at the Bay County Jail.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Sooner or later a guy gets sober.
“All that’s missing is the septum ring.”
I would make a substantial bet that she had one but they removed it when she was booked in.
His last words were “Calm down”
LOL
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