Navy Petty Officer Amanda Snell Murdered by Marine Jorge Torrez in Barracks at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia; Sentenced to Death by Federal Judge (July 13, 2009)

On July 13, 2009June 30, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Sexual Assault, USMCLeave a comment

Navy Petty Officer Amanda Jean Snell, 20, was found dead in her room at the barracks at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia on July 13, 2009. Naval Criminal Investigation Services (NCIS) had jurisdiction of her case. They conducted an initial investigation yet the case went nowhere because NCIS investigators confided in the murderer and were divided on whether the death was a homicide, suicide, or accidental. As a result, the DNA lab testing was not considered a priority because the autopsy was considered undetermined, not a homicide. Four years and four civilian victims later, former U.S. Marine Jorge Avila Torrez was indicted for Amanda’s murder, found guilty by a federal court, and sentenced to death in 2014.

Torrez lived on the same co-ed floor as Amanda Snell in Keith Hall barracks on the base. On the night of July 12, 2009, he entered her room, she screamed, and he strangled her in an effort to silence her. His crimes were sexually motivated. He jammed Amanda into her locker and put a pillow case over her head in an effort to fool investigators into thinking she had suffocated. After she was found dead on the federal base, NCIS began their investigation. They interviewed multiple people in the barracks and initiated a forensic examination of Amanda’s room. They claim they sent the evidence to the military DNA lab testing facility to determine if any DNA was present. In the meantime, Torrez offered to help with the investigation and NCIS accepted his offer. They asked him to spread a rumor around the barracks that they had a witness who saw someone enter her room that night.

During the stalled NCIS investigation, Torrez attacked four other civilian women in Arlington, Virginia in 2010. Three of them escaped his attempted abduction but one of them was abducted, raped, strangled, and left for dead in the woods. Torrez thought he killed her but she lived. Because all four victims reported the crimes, the Arlington Police Department was able to make the connection with the four cases. Thanks to the due diligence of two Arlington police officers, detectives were able to find out who owned the light colored SUV. These two police officers had observed on shift that the driver of this SUV was acting suspiciously and called in his license plate number to determine if he had any outstanding warrants. They learned Torrez was an active duty Marine living at Keith Hall Barracks on the the Navy base. The Arlington Police detectives had to coordinate with NCIS to gain access to the base so they could arrest him and search his room and vehicle. Jorge Torrez was jailed while he awaited trial.

While Torrez was awaiting trail, he asked some inmates to help him find a hit man to silence the three witnesses that would be testifying against him. One of the inmates he confided in was a confidential informant. After the informant reported the troubling conversations with authorities, he was asked to wear a wire to record future conversations. It was at this time that Jorge Torrez not only admitted his intentions to kill the three victims who were going to testify against him at his trial but he also revealed that he murdered Amanda Jean Snell at the Navy base. Meanwhile, the Arlington Police Department entered the DNA from the victim who was raped into CODIS, a national DNA database, and got a hit to two murders of children in Zion, Illinois where Torrez was from. When NCIS finally tested and compared the DNA on the sheets in Amanda’s room, this forensic evidence linked Torrez to Amanda’s murder as well. The Marine Corps dishonorably discharged him from the military.

NCIS bungled this investigation from the beginning. The investigators could not agree on whether Amanda Snell was murdered, committed suicide, or died accidentally. Because her autopsy report was “undetermined” and her death was not ruled a homicide, it did not have priority in the military DNA testing lab. Apparently an undetermined death and rape and sexual assault DNA is not given a high priority in military labs. When in fact, if all suspicious deaths and sex crimes were given higher priority, we could prevent further victimization and homicides. It was not until they learned of the four other victims in Arlington, Virginia and the two murders of children in Zion, Illinois that they expedited the testing of the DNA found in Amanda Snell’s room. We do not know if it is procedure for NCIS to compare DNA evidence of military members accused of crimes to the national DNA database. If they had tested the DNA earlier and entered the DNA into CODIS, they would have got a hit to the two murders in Illinois.

In the initial stages of the investigation, the NCIS agents investigated multiple people in the barracks. Jorge Torrez offered to be a confidential informant of sorts to help them with the investigation. They accepted. They asked him to spread a rumor that they had a witness who saw someone enter her room that night. They wanted to ferret out the killer by spreading panic. Quite often investigators will say they have evidence they don’t have in an attempt to cause stress and elicit confessions. Now they were not able to call anyone’s bluff. They in effect blew any chances of an effective investigation by telling the actual killer that they had nothing. It’s troubling that they did not see the red flag when Torrez offered to inject himself into the investigation. Murder suspects have been known to do this and befriend the victim’s family and friends in an attempt to stay apprised of what police know.

Lastly if sexual assault, rape, and undetermined causes of death were given higher priority in the NCIS DNA testing labs then maybe we could have prevented four other women from becoming victims of sex crimes and attempted murder. NCIS admits that the DNA was not given priority because it was not a homicide. Had NCIS made the DNA a higher priority and compared the results of the testing in CODIS, the national DNA database, they would have got a match to the DNA in Zion, Illinois. As a result of this match, they would have been able to triangulate the connection between Torrez in the barracks and where he was from in Zion, Illinois. They could have got a “commanders search warrant” to conduct a forensic examination of his room. There they would have found evidence of criminal intent like the collection of porn images they found on his computer that included fantasies about rape and suffocation of women. DNA from sexual assault and rape should be given the highest priority in the military DNA lab testing facilities to prevent an escalation of violent crimes to homicide both in the military and in our civilian communities. All DNA profiles tested in the military should be immediately entered in CODIS.

Eight months after Jorge Avila Torrez was arrested by the Arlington Police Department, he was found guilty and sentenced to five life terms and 168 years in prison for the attacks on three of the four civilian women from Arlington, Virginia. Four years later, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by the federal courts for the murder of Amanda Jean Snell on the US Navy base in Arlington, Virginia. In an unexpected plot twist Illinois authorities learned the man they convicted for the murders of Krystal Tobias (9) and Laura Hobbs (8) was innocent. Authorities released Jerry Hobbs, the father of one of the children, from jail in 2010 and vowed to try Torrez for a sexual assault of one child and the murder of both children from Zion, Illinois. Illinois authorities charged Torrez with the crimes in 2015 and are expected to go to trial some time in 2016. Jorge Torrez is currently sitting on death row.

Investigation Discovery:

In the shadow of the nation’s capital, a mysterious death on a Marine base confounds the NCIS — was it an accident, or was it a homicide? It won’t be long before police are hunting a violent sexual predator whose trail leads right back to the base. -Capitol Predator, Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall (S3,E6)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole Died of a Non Combat Related Incident in Bayji, Iraq; Cause of Death Ruled Negligent Homicide (August 2, 2008)

On August 2, 2008September 13, 2019 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole died of a non combat related incident in Bayji, Iraq on August 2, 2008. Pfc. Cole was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 426th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. An investigation revealed that Jennifer died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. According to the family, she was accidentally shot by a fellow Army soldier while they were cleaning their weapons. They learned that the weapon had not been cleared prior to the cleaning and no one is sure how it got into the place where Jennifer was shot. The soldier (Thurston) responsible for the accidental shooting was charged with negligent homicide. He spent 30 days in military jail and was given a general discharge from the Army. Jennifer’s mom, Candy Gholson, shared with Napa Valley, California newspapers that the Army wouldn’t give her information, provide her with paperwork, or tell her exactly what happened to her daughter.

Candy Gholson shared that she heard three different versions and wanted to know exactly what happened. She also shared that she learned from Jennifer’s roommate in the Army that no one ever questioned her and they both thought that odd considering most investigations start with those closest to the victim. Both Jennifer’s parents shared the frustration that it is not easy getting answers from a military organization or is it easy dealing with the bureaucracy of the Army and their typical federal government run-around. The parents were told to go through the Freedom of Information Act for the investigation report but the Army warned them it could take up to a year to get the trial transcript they were requesting. Jennifer’s step father, a US Marine Corps veteran, reiterated that he too wanted to know the details of what happened and that he didn’t have hard feelings towards the soldier who killed his step-daughter. But he does feel that Thurston’s superiors should have been court-martialed for ineffective supervision and oversight of the weapons.

“I understand they had a trial for the guy (Thurston) who shot my daughter. I was told he spent 30 days in a military jail and was discharged from the Army. He didn’t get a dishonorable discharge, but the one just above that. But I have never received any paperwork to that effect,” Gholson said. “I just want answers. And it’s not easy trying to get them from a military government institution. “I’ve heard three different stories from the Army about what happened the day Jennifer died,” Gholson said. “I want to know what exactly happened that day. There were witnesses. Why can’t the Army get the story straight?” ~Napa Valley Register (December 11, 2008)

May: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (May 31, 2008)

On May 31, 2008May 4, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

05/31/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Nunez, 27, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

05/29/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Chad Trimble, 29, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/28/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Justin Buxbaum, 23, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Hood, Texas

05/28/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Gathercole, 21, Afghanistan, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

05/28/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Dene, 37, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Stewart, Georgia

05/27/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Leimbach, 38, Afghanistan, South Carolina Army National Guard

05/27/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Frank Gasper, 25, Afghanistan, Fort Carson, Colorado

05/27/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Blake Evans, 24, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/27/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kyle Norris, 22, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

05/27/2008: Airmen MIA From Vietnam War are Identified

05/23/2008: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Jeffrey Ammon, 37, Afghanistan, Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni

05/21/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Deprimo, 35, Afghanistan, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

05/21/2008: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Joseph Moore, 54, NCD, Djibouti, Idaho Air National Guard

05/20/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Davy Weaver, 39, Afghanistan, Georgia Army National Guard

05/20/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Branden Haunert, 21, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/20/2008: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: William Cooper, 22, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

05/16/2008: Soldiers Missing from The Korean War are Identified

05/16/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: John Daggett, 21, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

05/14/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Victor Cota, 33, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

05/12/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jessica Ellis, 24, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/12/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Brown, 20, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

05/12/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joseph Ford, 23, NCD, Iraq, Indiana Army National Guard

05/11/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ara Deysie, 18, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/10/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Mary Jaenichen, 20, NCD, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

05/10/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Isaac Palomarez, 26, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/09/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Aaron Ward, 19, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

05/09/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alex Gonzalez, 21, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

05/08/2008: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Casey Casanova, 22, Miguel Guzman, 21, James Kimple, 21, and Glen Martinez, 31, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

05/08/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jeremy Gullett, 22, and Kevin Roberts, 25, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/05/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Corey Hicks, 22, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

05/04/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Nichols, 21, Iraq, Fort Polk, Louisiana

05/03/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lawrence Ezell, 30, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

05/03/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Chad Caldwell, 24, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

05/03/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jerry DeLoach, 45, NCD, Iraq, WTU, Fort Knox, Kentucky

05/02/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Andrew Pearson, 32, and Ronald Tucker, 21, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

05/01/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Bryan Bolander, 26, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

05/01/2008: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Merlin German, 22, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

05/01/2008: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Clay Craig, 22, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Fort Stewart Army Spc. Mary Jaenichen Died of Non-Combat Related Injury in Iskandariyah, Iraq (May 9, 2008)

On May 9, 2008September 13, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Suspicious DeathsLeave a comment

Army Spc. Mary Jaenichen, 20, died of a non-combat related injury on May 9, 2008 in Iskandariyah, Iraq. Spc. Jaenichen was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the Brigade Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. The official cause of death is unknown.

The 2006 graduate had signed up for the Army Reserve at age 17 with the promise of a military-funded college education. She attended boot camp between her junior and senior years. At the time of her death, she was assigned to the Brigade Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga. Her father, Alfred Alan “Jay” Jaenichen of Santa Ana, who recently retired as a Marine master sergeant, said she was serving as a military police officer at a “detainee holding area” — a prison. ~LA Times

August: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2007)

On August 31, 2007August 19, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

08/31/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Butkus, 34, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

08/30/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Edward Brooks, 25, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

08/30/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: John Tanner, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/30/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Erick Foster, 29, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/30/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Henry Ofeciar, 37, Afghanistan, Fort Riley, Kansas

08/30/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Scott Ball, 38, and Jan Argonish, 26, Afghanistan, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

08/29/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Rocky Herrera, 43, Cory Clark, 25, and Bryce Howard, 24, Afghanistan, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/29/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: James Collins Jr., 35, Iraq, U.S. Army Reserve, Jackson, Michigan

08/29/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Thomas Wilson, 21, Afghanistan, Vicenza, Italy

08/28/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Rogelio Ramirez, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/27/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Nicholas Carnes, 25, Afghanistan, Kentucky Army National Guard

08/27/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Joshua Morley, 22, and Tracy Willis, 21, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/27/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Matthew Medlicott, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/25/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Daniel Miller, 43, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Riley, Kansas

08/25/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Scott Carney, 37, NCD, Afghanistan, Iowa Army National Guard

08/25/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Heringes, 36, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/25/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Edgar Cardenas, 34, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/25/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Adrian Elizalde, 30, and Michael Tully, 33, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Sandy Britt, 30, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Corry Tyler, 29, Paul Flynn, 28, Matthew Tallman, 30, Rickey Bell, 21, NCD, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Derek Dobogal, 26, Jason Paton, 25, Garrett McLead, 23, Jeremy Boufard, 21, Phillip Brodnick, 25, Joshua Harmon, 20, Nathan Hubbard, 21, Michael Hook, 25, Jessy Pollard, 22, and Tyler Seideman, 20, NCD, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Omar Torres, 20, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Donovan Witham, 20, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/23/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Willard Powell, 21, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/22/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: George Libby, 23, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/20/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Paul Norris, 30, and Kamisha Block, 20, NCD, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/20/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Fielder, 35, NCD, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/20/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jonathan Edds, 24, Iraq, Fort Benning, Georgia

08/19/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Princess Samuels, 22, and Zandra Walker, 28, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/16/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robert Pirelli, 29, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

08/16/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alun Howells, 20, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

08/16/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Eric Cottrell, 39, Juan Lopez Jr., 23, and Paulomarko Pacificador, 24, Iraq, Fort Bliss, Texas

08/16/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Christopher Johnson, 31, Jackie McFarlane Jr, 30, Sean Fisher, 29, Stanley Reynolds, 37, and Steven Jewell, 26, NCD, Iraq, Fort Wainwright, Alaska

08/15/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alicia Birchett, 29, NCD, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/15/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Shawn Hensel, 20, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/15/2007: Air Force Pilot Missing From Vietnam War Is Identified: Alton C. Rockett, Jr.

08/14/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: William Scates, 31, Scott Kirkpatrick, 26, Andrew Lancaster, 23, and Justin Penrod, 24, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

08/14/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Michael Tayaotao, 27, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/13/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jeffrey Kettle, 31, Jesse Clowers, 27, and Charles Kitowski, 31, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/13/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: William Edwards, 23, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

08/13/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alan Austin, 21, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/13/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jordan Goode, 21, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/13/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joan Duran, 24, NCD, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/10/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Reynold Armand, 21, NCD, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/09/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Donald Young, 19, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/09/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jacob Thompson, 26, Nicholas Gummersall, 23, Juan Alcantra, 22, and Kareem Khan, 20, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/08/2007: Soldier Missing In Action From The Korean War Is Identified: Frank Bunchuk, U.S. Army

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Justin Blackwell, 27, and Jeremy Bohannon, 18, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jon Bonnell Jr., 22, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Neiberger, 2, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Travis Bachman, 30, Iraq, Kansas Army National Guard

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Bradley Marshall, 37, and Daniel Reyes, 24, Iraq, Fort Richardson, Alaska

08/07/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Charles Leonard Jr., 29, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/06/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Murchison, 21, Iraq, Hanau, Germany

08/06/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Dustin Wakeman, 25, Jason Lafleur, 28, and Jaron Holliday, 21, Iraq, Fort Richardson, Alaska

08/06/2007: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Cristian Vasquez, 20, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/06/2007: Soldiers Mia From Vietnam War Are Accounted For: Dennis C. Hamilton, of Barnes City, Iowa; Chief Warrant Officer Sheldon D. Schultz, of Altoona, Pa.; Sgt. 1st Class Ernest F. Briggs Jr., of San Antonio, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class John T. Gallagher, of Hamden, Conn.; and Sgt. 1st Class James D. Williamson, of Olympia, Wash

08/06/2007: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Joey Link, 29, NCD, Germany, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

08/05/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Braden Long, 19, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

08/05/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Julian Rios, 52, Iraq, Puerto Rico Army National Guard

08/05/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Fernando Santos, 29, Christian Rojas-Gallego, 24, and Eric Salinas, 25, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/04/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Taurean Harris, 22, Afghanistan, Fort Gordon, Georgia

08/03/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Zachariah Gonzalez, 23, Charles Heinlein, 23, and Alfred Jairala, 29, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/03/2007: Airmen Missing in Action from Vietnam War are Identified: James H. Ayres, of Pampa, Texas, US Air Force and Lt. Col. Charles W. Stratton, Dallas, Texas, U.S.Air Force

08/02/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Kessler, 29, Iraq, Fort Lewis, Washington

08/02/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Stephen Maddies, 41, Iraq, Tennessee Army National Guard

08/01/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Benjamin Hall, 24, Afghanistan, Vicenza, Italy

08/01/2007: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Camy Florexil, 20, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

Fort Hood Army Staff Sgt. Paul Norris Fatally Shot Spc. Kamisha Block in Murder-Suicide in Iraq; Family Calls for Congressional Hearings & Independent Investigations (August 16, 2007)

On August 16, 2007July 15, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Fort Hood Army Spc. Kamisha Block, 20, died of a non combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq on August 16, 2007. Spc. Block was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade in Fort Hood, Texas. The Department of Defense announced at the time of the press release that the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation. Media reports indicate that Kamisha died of gunshot wounds after she was shot in the shoulder, chest, and head area five times by a fellow Army soldier, Staff Sgt. Paul Norris. Norris then turned the gun on himself putting a single bullet into the right side of his head. Medics found Norris dead at the scene and Kamisha with a sucking chest wound. Kamisha Block was pronounced dead a few minutes later at the Camp Liberty Troop Medical Clinic. The family claims there was no serious relationship with Norris yet he became possessive and began abusing her. They believe she was not protected by the Army. (Get the latest updates on the case here)

“She spent a year in Korea, and then returned for a few months to Fort Hood before she left for Iraq in 2007. While in Texas she began a relationship with Staff Sgt. Brandon Norris, her parents said, a man in the same battalion. Although the Blocks never believed Norris and Kamisha Block had a serious relationship, Norris became attached and possessive of her, Army investigators told the family. Before they left Fort Hood for Iraq, Norris physically assaulted Kamisha Block, her family learned through later Army reports. He was disciplined and received counseling, but he did not lose his jealous nature.” ~Home of the Brave

TWITTER: Shonta Block @ShontaBlock
FACEBOOK: Corruption without justice in the military
JUSTICE: Reasons why the Block family want congressional hearings
PETITION: Justice for Kamisha Block commanding officers are not above the law.
SENATORS: Contact your two Senators here (top left has drop down for state)
REPRESENTATIVE: Contact your Representative here (enter zip code)
SASC/HASC MEMBERS: Click here to contact the SASC/HASC members
OTHER CASES: 15 Active Duty Cases That Beg for Prevention Efforts, Military Justice Reform, and the End of the Feres Doctrine and Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside (January 1, 2016 to Present)

In the News (2019):

The family learned Kamisha Block was shot and killed while serving in Iraq. The Department of Defense told the Block family Kamisha was shot in the chest by friendly fire. -12NewsNow (February 12, 2019)

Families from across the U.S. held a rally outside Fort Hood demanding answers about the deaths of their loved ones who died while serving. -KCEN News (July 11, 2020)

The family reports this article from Stars and Stripes is the most comprehensive to date: Army reopens case of 2007 murder-suicide that was originally called ‘friendly fire’ (April 19, 2019)

Updates:
Justice for Kamisha Block [Fundraiser]
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Iraq)
12News investigates alleged cover-up after 2007 shooting of Vidor soldier Kamisha Block in Iraq
The Army plans to reinvestigate a 2007 murder-suicide it originally concluded was ‘friendly fire’
Army reopens murder-suicide case that was originally ruled a ‘friendly fire’ incident
Vidor family of soldier Kamisha Block alleges cover-up after 2007 shooting in Iraq
Vidor family holds Memorial Day vigil 13 years after death of army specialist, alleged coverup of her murder
Army closes investigation into allegations of a coverup in 2007 murder-suicide in Iraq
Army Closes Investigation into Allegations of a Coverup in 2007 Murder-Suicide in Iraq
Gold star families, protesters flock to Fort Hood to protest Army’s handling of soldier deaths
Dozens gather outside Fort Hood to protest for answers in deaths of loved ones
Dozens gather to protest for answers outside Fort Hood (YouTube)
Crimelines True Crime Podcast Featured the Military Murder of Army Spc. Kamisha Block in Baghdad, Iraq (October 20, 2019)
Murderific True Crime Podcast Featured the Military Murder of Army Spc. Kamisha Block in Baghdad, Iraq (December 8, 2019)
Military Murder Podcast Featured the Homicide of Fort Hood Army Spc. Kamisha Block in Iraq; Friendly Fire or Military Cover-Up? (July 13, 2020)

The Story (Love is a Battlefield, Forbidden: Dying for Love):

Fort Hood is the largest military base in world. It’s home to 53,000 soldiers and located in the heart of Texas. Kamisha Block joined the Army straight out of high school and was a specialist with the 401st Military Police Company. She was the first born in her family and her loved ones said she was a bright light. “She was always smiling and positive about everything.” Kamisha’s squad was in training for a deployment to Iraq in four months. Her fellow comrades called her “wonder woman” and said she always seemed happy. She was the kind of person who would always make others feel better even if they were having a bad day. She was described as loving, caring, and a great listener. Kamisha even worked on her own vehicles and her father taught her everything she knew. She was very independent and loved serving in the Army. Thirty-year-old Staff Sgt. Brandon Norris was a veteran of two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. One of his military comrades said he did some outstanding things in the Army because Brandon was a go-getter. Brandon wanted to achieve and he quickly climbed the ladder. Brandon had also experienced some tough times. His wife had recently left him and took their daughter and he lost two sisters in a preventable car accident the year before. But Brandon was a squad leader and damn good at what he did.

Both Brandon and Kamisha were out one night at the same bar having some drinks with friends. Brandon noticed Kamisha on the dance floor and pushed his way to get to her. Upon introducing himself, they both realized they were stationed at Fort Hood. And although they were attracted to one another immediately, Brandon reminded Kamisha that what they were thinking of doing was against the rules. Fraternizing in the Army was against the law but Brandon and Kamisha didn’t care. In the Army, a relationship between an NCO and a junior enlisted soldier, especially in the same platoon, is against the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Both of them were taking a huge risk because if they were ever seen together, they could lose everything. In reality, they would be kicked out of the Army, lose their benefits, and get a dishonorable discharge. Brandon and Kamisha both knew it was a bad idea but over the next few weeks, they found every opportunity to see each other. According to Brandon’s military comrade, there was a real genuine connection between the two of them. And they managed to keep it secret aside from a few close friends who knew what was going on. They would say they were seeing someone but never named names. Kamisha regularly visited Brandon at his apartment eight miles away from the post.

Brandon was in love and it was obvious that the Army and Kamisha was his life. They both loved each other. Meanwhile, their squad knew they were deploying soon but they didn’t know the exact date. And then they were tasked to deploy four days before they were supposed to leave. Brandon found out that he wasn’t going to Iraq with the squad because he had to go to a leadership training session first. He would fly to Iraq at a later time. He wasn’t happy that he wasn’t going with the squad and with Kamisha and as a result, Brandon’s mood started changing. According to friends, he was getting more aggressive and angry. Brandon could control his demons until he started drinking alcohol. He was drinking more and began pushing Kamisha away and accusing her of being with other men in Iraq if he wasn’t around. Brandon was fragile and his current state of mind reflected what appeared to be attachment issues, he couldn’t handle losing anyone else he loved. Kamisha assured Brandon that they were all good but no one could deny that Brandon was possessive of Kamisha. Before deploying to Iraq, Kamisha took Brandon to meet her family. Her mom said Brandon didn’t introduce himself and they thought that was strange. They observed that he kept his head down and unless he was spoken to, he didn’t speak.

Kamisha’s family was worried about her with the upcoming deployment. The family sensed something was wrong but she said she really couldn’t talk about it. Twelve hours prior to the deployment, Brandon and Kamisha spent some quality time together. He told her he wanted to talk to her everyday on the phone until he got there. Because Brandon was possessive and controlling of Kamisha, he wanted to make sure she was okay everyday while she was away. Once Kamisha got to Iraq, Brandon called her daily and started becoming jealous and afraid that she was with other guys. Brandon admitted to his mom that he loved Kamisha and she was a special person. He also shared with his family that he couldn’t sleep and was only getting one hour a night of sleep on some nights. Brandon’s family was worried about losing him overseas because they couldn’t handle losing another child after losing two daughters the year before. Brandon Norris deployed to Iraq and he was transferred to Kamisha’s squad. Everyone knew there were tents in Iraq that had cots and they weren’t the only ones using them. Then there were signs that Brandon was giving Kamisha preferential treatment and she didn’t like it. Kamisha wanted to do the job and was irritated with Brandon.

Brandon’s biggest hang up was his jealousy. He would get jealous if Kamisha was talking to another guy. His friend said he’d get pretty fired up about that really quick. One day, the squad was in a convoy on a routine mission to an outpost. Kamisha was back at the base and Brandon was distracted. According to a comrade, Brandon stopped focusing on the task at hand and was paying attention to Kamisha instead. The squad was consistently concerned about Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and they turned down a road where they were met with an IED. It blew one of their trucks clear into the air. Brandon’s convoy had been hit by a roadside bomb and he jumped out of his vehicle and started firing despite the fact that they were not taking on any small arms fire or anything. Brandon easily could have killed an innocent civilian and gone to jail. They discovered three soldiers were injured in the IED explosion. Brandon’s squad questioned him after firing indiscriminately and were even more concerned when he didn’t have any response. Brandon felt guilty and responsible because he wasn’t paying attention and missed the road side bomb. He was in the lead truck and this was his job. One of his comrades decided he needed to be reported to the Chain of Command.

Brandon’s military comrade told the Chain of Command he knew something bad was going to happen because Brandon’s jealousy and possessiveness was getting out of hand. He explained how he was not the same leader that he had been at Fort Hood. And this same comrade said the military Chain of Command could have helped if they had moved either one of them and got them away from each other. Instead of transferring Kamisha or Brandon, the Chain of Command transferred the guy who reported them to another squad. He said they needed Norris and as a result, they didn’t dig or investigate to get to the bottom of of the whole relationship. They questioned Kamisha and Brandon and took them at their word when they denied a relationship. They issued a ‘no contact order’ but everyone knew that it was difficult to monitor. Over time, Kamisha was getting more agitated and less comfortable with the direction the relationship was heading. Brandon consistently accused her of talking to other men. Something was wrong. This relationship was anything but love. Kamisha was trying to get away from him but he would not leave her alone. Kamisha was getting scared and ended the relationship with Brandon. Brandon didn’t take it very well and told her he couldn’t live without her.

Brandon and Kamisha cooled things down for about three days and Kamisha tried hard not to have contact with Brandon. But Brandon was unraveling and drinking. Kamisha called home on her sister’s birthday and they had a really nice conversation but she had to go because the squad had another mission. The next day, the Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs) showed up at Kamisha’s parent’s home. The CAOs told Kamisha’s family that Kamisha had died in Iraq as a result of a non-combat incident. Kamisha’s mom and dad broke down. The CAOs told the family she was killed by one shot to the chest. All the family wanted was the truth. They wanted answers and they wanted to know what happened. Kamisha’s body was flown back to Texas. The family was in shock. They knew it was her but they didn’t want to believe it was her. They were all so upset. Then Kamisha’s mom noticed what appeared to be a patch on the side of her head. The Army told her she was shot in the chest but it appeared she was shot in the head too. Jane Block admitted she cried for days. The military wasn’t telling her everything, they held back. Jane accused the Army of waiting until Kamisha got to the funeral home before they found out the truth. Now they were determined to find out who shot Kamisha and what happened. Jane Block called the CAO who confirmed that Kamisha was shot five times by Brandon Norris. The family was devastated.

And eventually the details of what happened in Iraq were revealed to Kamisha’s family. Brandon wasn’t doing well and he wanted to talk to Kamisha. Brandon’s friends said his eyes were glazed over and he was in a mood. During the discussion, Kamisha reminded Brandon that she didn’t want to be in the relationship anymore. Then Brandon brandished a gun and shot Kamisha five times. He also shot at another soldier who luckily missed the bullets. When they found Kamisha, she was bleeding profusely. They observed she had been shot in the head. Brandon had also shot himself and was still breathing. His comrade said the last thing he said to Brandon was ‘F^*k You’. Kamisha’s family believes the military failed Kamisha. They could have moved her out of there and they didn’t. The Army also knew Brandon had PTSD and deployed him anyways. Kamisha’s family felt like it was a cover-up. The Army failed Kamisha and they failed Brandon Norris. Before deploying to Iraq, Brandon told a family member that he didn’t know if he could handle another tour in Iraq. But he was insistent that he needed to be there for his squad and Kamisha. Now, there’s a hole in both families. Brandon’s friend admits he has survivor guilt because he wished there was more he could do. Jane Block said Kamisha didn’t get to finish her mission to live out her hopes and dreams.

Source: ‘Love is a Battlefield’ Forbidden: Dying for Love, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: A young Army recruit enlists with dreams of serving her country. What she doesn’t expect is to find love with a commanding officer in her platoon. The two battle to keep their forbidden affair secret but can they defeat the enemy within? -Love is a Battlefield, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S3, E1)

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2006)

On September 30, 2006September 1, 2017 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

09/30/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Blaney, 19, NCD, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Edward Reynolds Jr, 27, and Henry Paul, 24, NCD, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/29/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: James Chamroeun, 20, Iraq, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/28/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jose Lanzarin, 28, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

09/28/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: James Lyons, 28, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/28/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Casey Mellen, 21, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/27/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jared Raymond, 20, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/27/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Riviere, 21, Iraq, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/26/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Velton Locklear III, 29, and Kenneth Kincaid IV, 25, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

09/26/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Carlos Dominguez, 57, Iraq, Army Special Operations Command, New York

09/26/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Windell Simmons, 20, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Howard March Jr, 20, and Rene Martinez, 20, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Eric Kavanagh, 20, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Charles Jones, 29, NCD, Iraq, Kentucky Army National Guard

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Bobby Callahan, 22, NCD, Iraq, Fort Drum, New York

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ashley (Henderson) Huff, 23, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Allan Bevington, 22, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

09/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Cesar Granados, 21, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robb Needham, 51, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/22/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Yull Estrada Rodriguez, 21, Iraq, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/22/2006: First Identification of U.S. Soldier Missing in Action from World War I

09/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Aaron Smith, 31, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

09/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jennifer Hartman, 21, and Marcus Cain, 20, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/21/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Zimmerman, 28, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/21/2006: Navy Aviator Missing In Action From Vietnam War is Identified

09/19/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Russell Makowski, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/19/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: James Worster, 24, NCD, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/19/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Shaffer, 21, Iraq, Bamberg, Germany

09/19/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Adam Knox, 21, Iraq, Ohio Army Reserve

09/18/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Davis, 32, Iraq, Fort Wainwright, Alaska

09/18/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Clint Williams, 24, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/18/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Bernard Deghand, 42, Afghanistan, Kansas Army National Guard

09/18/2006: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: David Roddy, 32, Iraq, Norfolk, Virginia (Multi-National Corps – Iraq)

09/16/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Emily Perez, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/16/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ryan Miller, 19, Iraq, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/15/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Ramsey, 27, NCD, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/15/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Harley Andrews, 22, Iraq, Bamberg, Germany

09/15/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Weir, 23, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/14/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Mattingly, 30, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/14/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeremy DePottey, 26, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

09/13/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Fuga, 47, Afghanistan, Missouri Army National Guard

09/12/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alexander Jordan, 31, Iraq, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Anthony Seig, 19, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: John Carroll, 26, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Merideth Howard, 52, and Robert Paul, 43, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Nathaniel Lindsey, 38, Afghanistan, Oregon Army National Guard

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Johnathan Benson, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Luis Montes, 22, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/09/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Gordon, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/08/2006: Airman Missing in Action From the Vietnam War is Identified

09/08/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jason Merrill, 22, and Edwin Andino II, 23, Iraq, Wurzburg, Germany

09/08/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Vincent Frassetto, 21, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/07/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeremy Shank, 18, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

09/07/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Marshall Gutierrez, 41, NCD, Camp Virginia, Area Support Group, Arijan, Kuwait

09/07/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Germaine Debro, 33, Iraq, Nebraska Army National Guard

09/06/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Richard Henkes II, 32, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/06/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Angel Mercado-Velazquez, 24, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/06/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Ralph Porras, 36, and Justin Dreese, 21, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/06/2006: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Christopher Walsh, 30, Iraq, Missouri Navy Reserve (Multi National Corps – Iraq)

09/06/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Hannah Gunterman, 20, NCD, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Shannon Squires, 25, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Vosbein, 30, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ryan Miller, 21, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Jared Shoemaker, 29, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Oklahoma

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Eric Valdepenas, 21, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Massachusetts

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Shane Harris, 23, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Cliff Golla, 21, and Philip Johnson, 19, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Eugene Alex, 32, Iraq, Fort Wainwright, Alaska

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Deason, 28, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Nicholas Madaras, 19, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/01/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Hanson, 27, Iraq, Minnesota Army National Guard

09/01/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Colin Wolfe, 19, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/01/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Moises Jazmin, 25, Qixing Lee, 20, Shaun Novak, 21, and Tristan Smith, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

Fort Bragg Army Captain Jeremy Chandler Died After Explosives Detonated During Training Operations in Afghanistan (August 11, 2005)

On August 11, 2005August 11, 2020 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

Army Captain Jeremy Chandler, 30, died while he was conducting training operations at Forward Operating Base Ripley in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan on August 11, 2005. Capt. Chandler died while he was preparing for combat operations in Afghanistan. Capt. Chandler was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. According to an article in Savannah Now, Jeremy and his team were conducting pre-mission training operations at FOB Ripley when explosives issued to the team detonated and killed Jeremy.

“The Captain Jeremy Chandler Leadership Scholarship was established at North Georgia College & State University immediately following Jeremy’s death. The scholarship is offered annually to a participant of Ranger Challenge, one of the cadet organizations at the school. The Jeremy Chandler Medical Clinic in Afghanistan was dedicated in Jeremy’s name in November 2006. Jonnie and Al said they wept upon hearing the news of the dedication….Jeremy’s legacy is also being carried on through the Captain Jeremy Chandler Marine Marathon Team in the Marine Corps Marathon to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The event raises money to provide educational assistance for the children of fallen Special Operations personnel.” -Savannah Now (May 16, 2007)

Fort Campbell Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson Died of Non Combat Related Injuries in Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide But Independent Investigation Revealed Rape and Murder (July 19, 2005)

On July 19, 2005August 29, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Suspicious Deaths4 Comments

Editors Note: Need to get up to speed quick with the unsolved case of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Lavena Johnson, please check out Episode 40 on the Military Murder Podcast.

Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson, 19, died of non combat related injuries in Balad, Iraq on July 19, 2005. Pfc. Johnson was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the Army’s 129th Corps Support Battalion in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Unlike most, the Department of Defense did not announce that LaVena’s death was under investigation in their press release. The Army Criminal Investigation Division later determined that Pfc. Johnson’s cause of death was suicide by self inflicted gunshot wound. The Army tried telling the family that LaVena used her own M-16 to commit the suicide. The family immediately suspected foul play and ordered an independent autopsy for LaVena. LaVena was not depressed and showed no signs of suicidal ideation. As a matter of fact, she was happy and bubbly and looking forward to going home for Christmas. After the family saw LaVena’s body and obtained investigative documents from the Army, they quickly realized that LaVena did not die by suicide, she was raped and murdered.

According to the family, the Army never investigated LaVena’s death as a homicide nor did they do a rape kit test or autopsy. The family gleaned from the paperwork that Army investigators first considered LaVena’s death a homicide and recorded that in their paperwork, but within a short window of opportunity were suddenly ordered to cease their investigation and reclassify her death as a suicide. Ten years later, LaVena’s father, Dr. John Johnson, continues to fight for justice for his daughter. And, although he has had struggles getting media coverage, he has forged out on his own to speak the truth for LaVena. Dr. Johnson is featured in a documentary called The Silent Truth which presents the heartbreaking story of his daughter LaVena. Pfc. LaVena Johnson was betrayed by the very people she depended on for her life, and the military industrial complex who would rather silence the truth then harm their reputation.

Petition: Reopen the investigation of LaVena Johnson’s death

In the News:

Nineteen year-old Army PFC LaVena Johnson, was found dead on a military base in Balad, Iraq in 2005. The U.S. Army ruled Lavena’s death a suicide, but an autopsy report and photographs revealed Johnson had a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, burns from a corrosive chemical on her genitals, and a gunshot wound that seemed inconsistent with suicide. LaVena’s father, John Johnson, shares his family’s fight to get answers from the military about his daughter’s death. -Protect Our Defenders (July 14, 2012)

Pfc. LaVena Johnson died in Iraq on July 19th, 2005 and her family needs your help. -Unsolved Mysteries (September 26, 2014)

Many have heard about the efforts for justice in the case of Army PFC LaVena Johnson. In 2005 after only 6 weeks of her deployment in Iraq, PFC LaVena Johnson was found dead. The Army says suicide, but after close evaluation and discovering a plethora of discrepancies in the Army’s report, LaVena’s father Dr. John H. Johnson began the fight for justice for his daughter. On this episode of The Rock Newman Show our special guest are LaVena’s father, Dr. John H. Johnson and attorney Donald V. Watkins. We warn our viewers that this episode of The Rock Newman Show goes into deep detail concerning the evidence and death of PFC LaVena Johnson. Dr. John H. Johnson and Donald V. Watkins contend that by no means is this case a suicide, and say they even know the name of the culprit. -The Rock Newman Show (February 11, 2016)

Learn more here: ACT Now! Stand for PFC LaVena Lynn Johnson

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2004)

On September 30, 2004August 23, 2017 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

09/30/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Titcomb, 20, Iraq, Camp Casey, Korea

09/30/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Tyler Prewitt, 22, Iraq, Vilseck, Germany

09/29/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Gregory Cox, 21, NCD, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

09/29/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Kenneth Sickels, 20, NCD, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/28/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joselito Villanueva, 36, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

09/28/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Eric Allton, 34, Iraq, Camp Hovey, Korea

09/27/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robert Oliver Unruh, 25, Iraq, Camp Howze, Korea

09/27/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Clifford Moxley Jr, 51, NCD, Iraq, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

09/27/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Johnson, 37, Iraq, Oregon Army National Guard

09/25/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Aaron Boyles, 24, and Ramon Mateo, 20, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/25/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Timothy Folmar, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/25/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ryan Leduc, 28, NCD, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/24/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Skipper Soram, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/24/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lance Koenig, 33, Iraq, North Dakota Army National Guard

09/23/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Adam Harris, 21, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/23/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Nathan Stahl, 20, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/23/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Benjamin Smith, 24, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/23/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Brandon Adams, 22, Iraq, Fort Drum, New York

09/22/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Wesley Wells, 21, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

09/22/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Robert Goodwin, 35, and Tony Olaes, 30, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/22/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Foster Harrington, 31, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Alabama

09/22/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Henry, 21, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

09/22/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Steven Cates, 22, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/21/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Thomas Rosenbaum, 25, and James Price, 22, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/20/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Gregory Howman, 28, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/18/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Ebert, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/18/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Steven Rintamaki, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/17/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Andrew Stern, 24, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/17/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jaygee Meluat, 24, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/16/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Drew Uhles, 20, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/16/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Adrian Soltau, 21, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/16/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Tyler Brown, 26, Iraq, Camp Hovey, Tongduchon City, Korea

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: David Weisenburg, 26, and Benjamin Isenberg, 27, Iraq, Oregon Army National Guard

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lauro DeLeon Jr, 20, Iraq, Texas Army Reserve

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Mathew Puckett, 19, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Kevin Shea, 38, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jacob Demand, 29, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Carl Thomas, 29, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Guy Hagy Jr, 31, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Dominic Brown, 19, NCD, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Michael Halal, 22, NCD, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/15/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Edgar Daclan Jr, 24, Iraq, Schweinfurt, Germany

09/14/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Martinez, 29, Iraq, Bamberg, Germany

09/14/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Sparks, 19, Iraq, Camp Casey, Korea

09/14/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Cesar Machado-Olmos, 20, NCD, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/14/2004: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: David Cedergren, 25, NCD, Iraq, 2^nd Marine Division Fleet, Marine Forces Atlantic

09/13/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jason Poindexter, 20, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/13/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Alexander Wetherbee, 27, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/10/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Brandon Read, 21, Iraq, Kentucky Army Reserve

09/10/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Yoe Aneiros, 20, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

09/10/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: James Faulkner, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/10/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Elvis Bourdon, 36, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/10/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ryan McCauley, 20, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/09/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Chad Drake, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/09/2004: Remains of American MIAs Found in North Korea

09/09/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Timothy Price, 25, Iraq, Hanau, Germany

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Shawna Morrison, 26, Iraq, Illinois Army National Guard

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Charles Lamb, 23, Iraq, Illinois Army National Guard

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Clarence Adams III, 28, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: John Boria, 29, NCD, Qatar, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Tomas Garces, 19, Iraq, Texas Army National Guard

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Devin Grella, 21, Iraq, Ohio Army Reserve

09/08/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Michael Allred, 22, David Burridge, 19, Derek Gardner, 20, Quinn Keith, 21, Joseph McCarthy, 21, Mick Nygardbekowsky, 21, and Lamont Wilson, 20, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

09/07/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Gary Vaillant, 41, Iraq, Camp Casey, Korea

09/07/2004: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Eric Knott, 21, Iraq, Port Hueneme, California

09/05/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Nicholas Wilt, 23, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/05/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ronald Winchester, 25, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/04/2004: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Nicholas Perez, 19, and Alan Rowe, 35, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

09/03/2004: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joseph Thibodeaux, 24, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: DoD

Navy Petty Officer Amanda Snell Murdered by Marine Jorge Torrez in Barracks at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia; Sentenced to Death by Federal Judge (July 13, 2009)

Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole Died of a Non Combat Related Incident in Bayji, Iraq; Cause of Death Ruled Negligent Homicide (August 2, 2008)

May: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (May 31, 2008)

August: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2007)

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2006)

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2004)

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