Man arrested for apparently random home invasion, murder of local teacher

Jacksonville, FL — Less than two weeks after a local elementary school music teacher was killed in a home invasion, JSO makes an arrest.

Deborah Liles was found dead in her home March 23. JSO says Liles died of blunt force trauma in an apparent home invasion- the house was ransacked and her car was missing. Two days later, the car was found, and while the search for the suspect continued, JSO got valuable evidence.

“Detectives canvassed the area and located video along North Main Street that actually showed the vehicle driving shortly after the crime was committed along the roadway there. One video even showed the vehicle turning in to the trailer park that is located at 40th and Main Street,” says JSO Lieutenant Steve Gallaher.

That trailer park is where 24-year-old Adam Lawson Jr.- the suspect in this case- lives.

As the investigation progressed, JSO says they learned about a woman who may have information on the crime. They contacted that woman Sunday, and she confirmed Lawson confessed to her that he was responsible for the home invasion and murder.

Lawson was found near his home Sunday, where he was taken in to custody and interviewed. JSO hasn’t said whether he made any comments about the crime.

“Right now, it appears that it’s just a random location that he picked. We don’t know why he chose that house,” Gallaher says.

JSO says the suspect has a history of burglaries in another city.

A search of Lawson’s home has found shoes with blood on them, and JSO says those shoes have been sent for further forensic testing. They also found a gun in Lawson’s home which is not believed to be related to the home invasion, but because Lawson is a convicted felon, he’s not allowed to have a firearm.

Lawson has been arrested for murder, armed burglary, auto theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.