New documents released in the September murder of Navy Chief Petty Officer Andrea Washington detail why police believe her ex-fiancé committed the crime.
RELATED: Navy Chief Petty Officer found dead in her Jacksonville home filed for prior protective order
Danny Beard was arrested Dec. 7 and faces murder charges. He is being held without bond in the Duval County Jail. He has not yet entered a plea.
Washington, 37, was found dead inside her Northside home on Sept. 17. She had previously filed a police report against Beard and was seeking a permanent restraining order against him at the time of her death. She said he'd attacked her during an argument, kicking her in the stomach and threatening to kill her with a handgun.
Beard was not arrested for the assault and was not immediately arrested in the murder case. However, the newly released information shows that police quickly focused on Beard as a suspect.
RELATED: Jacksonville sheriff releases heavily redacted incident report on Navy chief petty officer's death
A police Affidavit for Arrest Warrant shows that Washington's home surveillance system had been removed. However, data and images collected by the system prior to its removal are part of evidentiary footprint police say leads to Beard.
Police interviewed Beard the day Washington's body was found and searched his cell phone. The phone revealed that Beard had access to the home's ADT video surveillance system and that he had collected more than 900 photographs from the system on the day of the murder.
RELATED: Jacksonville police 'not doing anything' about harassment, slain Navy Chief Petty Officer complained
Beard's cell phone data also places him at Washington's house on the night of the murder, police say, which contradicts his claim that he had not been there.
A NY Yankees baseball cap is also a key piece of evidence in the Affidavit for Arrest Warrant. According to police, Beard is seen in the cap in a photograph hanging in Washington's hallway. The hat was not seen in surveillance footage captured the night before the murder, but it was found on a sofa by investigators after the murder.
Washington's family told First Coast News they were pleased with Beard's arrest. Washington was a mother to three sons and was from Atlanta, Texas. She had just been promoted and pinned by the Navy days before her death.
Timeline of the case
September 17 – Navy Chief Petty Officer found dead in her Jacksonville home filed for protective order 2 weeks ago
September 18 - Jacksonville sheriff releases heavily redacted incident report on Navy chief petty officer's death
September 20 - Jacksonville sheriff, State Attorney, mum on action taken after abuse claims of slain Navy officer
September 21 - POLICE: Ball was in State Attorney’s court in days before Navy Chief Petty Officer's murder
September 23 - Officer didn’t think arrest was needed in assault case preceding murder of Navy Chief Petty Officer
September 29 - Andrea Washington, Navy Chief Petty Officer murdered in Jacksonville, buried in Texas hometown
October 1 - Slain Navy Chief Petty Officer: Jacksonville police 'not doing anything' about harassing messages
December 10 - DNA, Home security system evidence link Andrea Washington's murder to abusive ex-fiance, warrant says