Fort Hood Army Soldier Pfc. Melissa Hobart Collapsed and Died from an Undetermined Cause While on Guard Duty in Baghdad, Iraq (June 6, 2004)

Melissa Hobart
Pfc. Melissa Hobart, US Army

Army Pfc. Melissa Hobart, 22, died after collapsing on guard duty in Baghdad, Iraq on June 6, 2004. Pfc. Hobart was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) on behalf of the Company E, 215th Forward Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. Pfc. Hobart left behind a three-year-old daughter. According to Melissa’s memorial site, military officials believe Melissa suffered from a heart attack. Melissa’s mom Connie Hobart told the Hartford Courant that she was put on an anti-depressant shortly before deploying to Iraq and was still feeling depressed. Connie reported in 2006 that the official word from the military, two years later, was that she died of an undetermined cause.

Connie Hobart’s 22-year-old daughter, Army Pfc. Melissa Hobart, was put on an anti-depressant shortly before deploying and had told her mother that she remained depressed while in Baghdad. Three months into her tour, in June 2004, the East Haven native collapsed and died of a still-undetermined cause. Told of the policy changes Monday, Connie Hobart said, “I’m happy to hear about it. That’s good news.” Sobbing, she said her daughter might be alive today if the policy had been different at the time. –Hartford Courant

Related Links:
Pfc. Melissa Jennifer Hobart (1981-2004)
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Pfc. Melissa Hobart | Hartford Courant
Army Pfc. Melissa J. Hobart | Honor the Fallen
Pfc. Melissa J. Hobart | The Washington Post
Mentally Unfit, Forced To Fight — (The Hartford Courant)
Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Iraq)

Fort Hood Army Soldier Gary Prokop Killed by Wife & Friends for Benefits & Life Insurance; Tyshee Prokop Sentenced to Life in Prison (June 25, 1998)

Tyshee Prokop Deadly Women
She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep

When some brides vowed to love and honor their husbands, they lied. These Deadly Women made a mockery of marital commitment. They only promised “To Have and To Kill”. -To Have and To Kill, Deadly Women (S8, E14)

Tyshee Prokop and her childhood friends from Killeen, Texas murdered Gary Prokop, an Army soldier stationed at Fort Hood in 1998. Tyshee married Gary shortly after meeting him and they had a child together. But Tyshee wasn’t ready for family life. About a year and a half after they were married, they filed for divorce. Gary was going to get out of the Army and move back home. Tyshee conspired with her friends to have Gary murdered before he got out of the Army so she could collect medical benefits and the $100,000 dollar life insurance policy. He was murdered on June 25th with a single gunshot wound to the head while he was sleeping. One of the co-conspirators, Rodney Barfield, felt remorse about his involvement with the crime. He confessed his full involvement in the murder and detailed everyone’s roles. In 2002, Tyshee Prokop and her friends were arrested and charged with the murder of Gary Prokop. They were sentenced as follows:

Tyshee Manik Prokop – pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison
Charles Edward Turnbull III – convicted, sentenced to life in prison
Rodney Barfield – pled guilty, sentenced to 25 years
Reuben James Salgado – pled guilty (tampering with evidence charge)
Jacob Luther Harris – pled guilty (to a conspiracy charge)

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Related Links:
Spec Gary Thomas Prokop | Find A Grave
Army wife charged in husband’s killing
Killeen woman accused of murdering husband pleads not guilty
Jcc Man Arrested On Charges Tied To Texas Killing
Killeen woman pleads guilty to murder, avoids death penalty
‘Prokop 5’ murder suspect pleads guilty to tampering with evidence
Four of five sentenced for Killeen murder-for-hire scheme
Victim’s parents get child custody
Forensics could be key to two-year mystery
She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep | Deadly Women
Tyshee Prokop had her husband, Spec Gary Thomas Prokop, killed for his military benefits and insurance
Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Prison Inmates | The Texas Tribune
Parole Review Info for Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Dept of Criminal Justice
ISO A Femme Fatale? Jail Babes Has The Hook-Up
Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance is a Common Motive for Murder
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘To Have and To Kill’ on ID: Gary Prokop Murdered for Military Death Benefits and Life Insurance (October 17, 2014)
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on ID
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S8,E14)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)