Joseph Eiler’s father, Jeffrey Eiler, heard his son arguing with his girlfriend, Ashley Averett, on March 12, 2026. Joseph Eiler, 38, failed to show up for work for his next two shifts, prompting a missing person’s report. On March 16, police spoke with Jeffrey Eiler again, and he told them he thought his son’s 32-year-old girlfriend had acted strangely that day. He also reported hearing what he thought sounded like gunshots. Investigators from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida spoke to Averett, who made a shocking and disturbing confession. Now, she’s facing murder charges.
Averett initially denied knowing anything about her boyfriend’s disappearance.
According to a release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the office received a missing person’s report on March 14. Jeffrey Eiler claimed he last saw his son at his home in Fountain, Florida, two days earlier during an argument with Averett. When police spoke to the young woman on March 16, she reportedly told them she and Joseph Eiler had argued on March 14, and he had left with an unidentified friend. Later that day, police again contacted Jeffrey Eiler, who had new details.
Jeffrey Eiler alleged seeing strange behavior from Averett.
Jeffrey Eiler reportedly told investigators that, in addition to an argument, he heard gunshots coming from his son’s residence. He also “observed unusual behavior from Averett, including burning items in a fire pit, asking how to dispose of ashes, preventing access to parts of the home, and conducting excessive cleaning,” the sheriff’s office noted in the news release. In addition, the man reported missing bedsheets in the house and freshly disturbed soil in the yard. This encounter prompted police to revisit Averett.
This time, she had a much different story.
Averett reportedly confessed to shooting Joseph Eiler twice with a .380-caliber handgun. After his death, she told investigators she tried to dismember him and buried his body in multiple places in the yard, according to the news release. Averett also admitted to buying cleaning products to scrub the crime scene. Police arrested her without incident, and she faces one count of murder.
The couple leaves behind two children.
Joseph Eiler and Averett had two children, who now have no parents to care for them. Ashley Dehaan created a GoFundMe account for the girls to help with the many unexpected costs the family now faces.
“Joseph Eiler was an amazing person who always had a smile on his face. Everything he did was for his daughters, and he was devoted to giving them the best life possible. His kindness, warmth, and love for his family touched everyone who knew him,” Dehaan wrote on the page. “Joseph’s mother is stepping in to care for her granddaughters, determined to provide them with a loving and stable home,” she added.
They’ve raised more than $4,00 thus far.
It’s unclear what started the argument between Joseph Eiler and Averett, but nothing is worth killing someone over and ruining multiple lives, including those of children.
