Brutal Hawthorne murder shocks community

 Flowers left on the lawn of the Hudnall home serve as a reminder of the grisly crime that occurred inside the SE 71^st Avenue house.

The murder of a Hawthorne resident, apparently by someone wielding a pickax, has left the small Florida town reeling.

William Hudnall, 51, a new resident to the city of Hawthorne, was brutally murdered at home in his sleep on June 8.

The victim’s 19-year-old daughter, Guenevere Hudnall, and his wife, Stephanie Hudnall, 41, have been arrested and are charged with First-Degree Premeditated Murder.

The two suspects are currently being held in the Alachua County Jail.

At 11:49 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Combined Communications Center received the 9-1-1 call from 22118 SE 71^st Avenue in Hawthorne.

Once on scene, Alachua County Sherriff’s Office (ACSO) deputies discovered the deceased man and quickly suspected murder to be the cause of death.

Guenevere Hudnall has been accused of physically committing the crime with a pickax, while her mother, Stephanie Hudnall, allegedly drove her daughter to and from the victim’s residence.

The 9-1-1 call made by Stephanie Hudnall was described as a medical emergency on the phone, but authorities, once on scene, were rapidly able to recognize a different scenario.

The suspicious circumstances surrounding William Hudnall’s death led ASCO detectives to quickly launch a murder investigation.  Less than 24 hours after showing up at the scene of the crime, the two suspects were arrested and immediately taken to be held at the Alachua County Jail.

It appears that Social Security Benefits may have been the motive behind the vicious attack.

Witnesses stated the murder was a shock to them. A few even said they saw Guenevere Hudnall helping with various chores around the residence.

The victim was described as a quiet man who was most recently making home renovations before the murder occurred.

Anyone with any new information about the murder should contact the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office at 352-955-1818.