Stylist Slain in Parking Garage After Sudden Knife Attack

It was supposed to be a quick stop, a few minutes in the garage of a high-end Florida apartment complex while Hailey Hosford waited for her friend to grab something from his place. Instead, those brief moments turned into the final seconds of her life - and the beginning of a disturbing case that’s left an entire community reeling.

A Night Turned Deadly

Just after 1:30 a.m. on May 28, 27-year-old Hailey Hosford, a well-known hairstylist from Boca Raton, sat in the parking garage of The Retreat at Sawgrass Village, a luxury apartment building in Sunrise, Florida.

Her friend Ian Bryant had stepped away briefly to retrieve some belongings from his apartment before driving her home. Hosford, sitting in the parked car, noticed a man approaching and immediately sensed something wasn’t right.

She tried to hide, quickly slipping into the backseat. But according to an arrest report reviewed by police, she didn’t have time to shut the car door. The man, later identified as 21-year-old Jackson Sagesse, allegedly forced his way in and stabbed her repeatedly in the neck and throat.

When Bryant returned, he walked straight into the horror. He and Sagesse got into a violent struggle. Sagesse allegedly stabbed him in the throat before Bryant managed to escape and call 911.

The Suspect’s Arrest and Confession

As officers arrived at the scene, Sagesse had already fled. But not for long. Thanks to security footage and a tip from a complex employee who recognized him, police traced him to a nearby apartment where he lived with his mother.

He was found with a kitchen knife in his pocket, matching another one located at the crime scene.

Authorities allege that after being read his rights, Sagesse said, “I just killed someone and walked away,” according to the New York Post.

He also reportedly gave inconsistent statements and claimed the killing was in self-defense, although the arrest report offered no clear evidence to support that claim. Sagesse was arrested and charged with premeditated murder and attempted murder. He remains in custody without bond.

A Community in Mourning

Hosford’s death has rocked the South Florida beauty community and beyond. She owned the Hailey Jane Beauty Boutique in Fort Lauderdale and was known for her passion, talent, and warmth. Friends and clients described her as vibrant and driven. Her close friend, Aubrey Rosebrock, told reporters, “She was a force to be reckoned with,” according to PEOPLE.

Her final message to Rosebrock, shared publicly, read, “I just wanted to tell you that the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the water is turquoise, and that I love you much, and that you mean the world to me,” according to the New York Post.

What Happens Next?

Sagesse appeared in court days after the stabbing, where a judge reassigned his defense attorney due to a conflict of interest - a public defender reportedly knew the victim personally.

While formal court proceedings are still pending, the allegations remain serious. As of now, Sagesse has not entered a plea, and investigators continue to piece together what led to the deadly confrontation in the garage.

What remains is a void - one felt by Hailey’s family, friends, and the clients who sat in her chair not just for beauty treatments, but for connection, laughter, and a bit of confidence.

References: Florida Hairstylist Killed in Luxury High-Rise Garage - and Suspect’s Chilling Claim Haunts Loved Ones | Family Says Final Goodbyes to Woman Killed in Sunrise Stabbing as Suspect in Court | Florida Hairstylist Stabbed to Death in Luxury Apartment Parking Garage by Knife-Wielding Brute