Bodies found in S. Camden identified by police

The identities of a two homicide victims found buried in the backyard of a South Camden home last week were released today by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

The bodies of Michael Hawkins, 23, of Mount Holly, and Muriah Ashley Huff, 18, of Cinnaminson, were discovered by authorities acting on a tip received Thursday morning, according to a spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office. They were located behind a home in the 500 block of Berkley Street around 6 o'clock that night.

Officials believe that the victims were killed shortly before being buried on Tuesday.

Hawkins suffered blunt force trauma and was shot several times, according to autopsy results. Huff also suffered blunt force trauma and was strangled.

Huff was a cosmetology student at the Westampton campus of Burlington County Institute of Technology. She was to graduate in June.

Tiffany Bradham, a former classmate, said that Huff said nothing to suggest anything was wrong when the two spoke early last week.

"She said she was going to a family event that week," said Bradham, 18, of Philadelphia. "I don't understand why anyone would do it. She was really nice, a real peaceful person, a churchgoing person."

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Investigator Patricia Taulane with the Prosecutor's Office at 856-225-8400 or Camden Police Detective Stephen Gracia at 856-757-7420.