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

On August 31, 2006August 17, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

08/30/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Warndorf, 21, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/30/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Schneider, 23, NCD, Iraq, Wiesbaden, Germany

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Kenneth Cross, 21, and Daniel Dolan, 19, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Jones, 24, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Darry Benson, 46, NCD, Kuwait, North Carolina Army National Guard

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Almazan, 27, Iraq, Friedberg, Germany

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Donald Champlin, 28, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Seth Hildreth, 26, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/29/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Hansen, 31, NCD, Iraq, Nebraska Army National Guard

08/28/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Edgardo Zayas, 29, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/28/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: David Weimortz, 28, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/26/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jordan Pierson, 21, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Connecticut

08/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: William Thorne, 26, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Marquees Quick, 28, Iraq, Friedberg, Germany

08/25/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Gordon Solomon, 35, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/25/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeremy King, 23, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/25/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Dwayne Williams, 28, Iraq, Okinawa, Japan

08/24/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Thomas Barbieri, 24, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/24/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: James Hirlston, 21, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/24/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeremiah Cole, 26, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

08/24/2006: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Paul Darga, 34, Iraq, Naval Expeditionary Combat Command

08/24/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ruben Villa Jr, 36, NCD, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait

08/23/2006: Missing World War II Airmen Identified: David Nelson, Henry Kortebein, and Blake Treece Jr, US Air Force

08/23/2006: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Brad Clemmons, 37, Iraq, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

08/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Wakkuna Jackson, 21, Robert Drawl Jr, 21, and Christopher Sitton, 21, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

08/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Gabriel DeRoo, 25, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

08/22/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Adam Galvez, 21, and Randy Newman, 21, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

08/22/2006: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Chadwick Kenyon, 20, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

08/22/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Loa, 32, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

08/21/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joseph Blake, 34, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

08/21/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: James Arellano, 19, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/20/2006: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Adam Servais, 23, Afghanistan, Hurlburt Field, Florida

08/18/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Michael Glover, 28, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Albany, New York

08/18/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: John McKenna IV, Iraq, Marine Forces Reserve, Albany, New York

08/18/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: John Phillips, 29, Iraq, Okinawa, Japan

08/15/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Michael Lloyd, 24, and Kevin Zeigler, 31, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/15/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kenneth Jenkins, 25, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

08/14/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Aaron Jagger, 43, Ignacio Ramirez, 22, and Shane Woods, 23, Iraq, Friedberg, Germany

08/14/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Rogelio Garza, Jr, 26, Andrew Small, 19, and James White, 19, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

08/11/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jeremy Long, 18, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

08/11/2006: DoD Announces Army Casualties: Steven Mennemeyer, 26, and Jeffery Brown, 25, NCD, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

08/11/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Tracy Melvin, 31, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

08/10/2006: Soldier Missing in Action From the Korean War is Identified: Edward F. Blazejewski, US Army

08/08/2006: Missing WWII Marine is Identified: John H. Branic, US Marine Corps

08/08/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Stephen Seale, 25, Carlton Clark, 22, and Jose Zamora, 24, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/07/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Brian Kubik, 20, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/07/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Leroy Segura Jr, 23, NCD, Iraq, Fort Benning, Georgia

08/06/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Clint Storey, 30, and Bradley Beste, 22, Iraq, Friedberg, Germany

08/05/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Daniel Suplee, 39, NCD, Iraq, Florida Army National Guard

08/04/2006: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Marc Lee, 28, Iraq, Naval Special Warfare Command

08/04/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Kurt Dechen, 24, Iraq, Camp Pendleton, California

08/04/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: George Ulloa Jr, 23, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/04/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Ford, 20, Iraq, Nebraska Army National Guard

08/03/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Hai Ming Hsia, 37, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

08/03/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Joseph Tomci, 21, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/03/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Dustin Laird, 23, Iraq, Tennessee Army National Guard

08/03/2006: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ryan Jopek, 20, Iraq, Wisconsin Army National Guard

08/02/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jason Hanson, 21, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

08/01/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Phillip Baucus, 28, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

08/01/2006: DoD Identifies Marine Casualties: Anthony Butterfield, 19, and Christian Williams, 27, Iraq, Twentynine Palms, California

Army Criminal Investigation Report for the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Balad, Iraq (April 28, 2006)

On April 28, 2006May 5, 2021 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Suspicious DeathsLeave a comment

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)

We are not exactly sure when Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson’s CID Report was dumped on-line by the government but it appears to have shown up after the death of Vanessa Guillen. (Source: US Army CID)

Army Criminal Investigation Report for the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Balad, Iraq (April 28, 2006)

Military Murder Podcast Featured the Suspicious Death of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Lavena Johnson in Balad, Iraq (July 27, 2020)

‘The Silent Truth’ Documentary: The Rape, Murder & Military Cover-Up of Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq (July 1, 2014)

Dr. John Johnson clarified in an interview on the Donny Walker Morning Show that wound statin was found on LaVena’s genitals. Listen to the full interview here.

Fort Hood Army Pfc. Tina Priest Died From a Non-Combat Related Incident in Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide But Family Suspects Rape & Murder (March 1, 2006)

On March 1, 2006July 1, 2026 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Suspicious Deaths2 Comments

Pfc. Tina Priest, U.S. Army

Army Pfc. Tina Priest, 20, died from a non-combat related injury in Taji, Iraq on March 1st, 2006. She was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divison at Fort Hood, Texas. The Army ruled the death an apparent suicide but Tina’s parents dispute that finding based on the evidence and believe that she was raped and murdered; Tina reported a rape two weeks prior to her death.

This case is no longer under investigation by the Army but considered an unsolved cold case because of the concerns the family has with the death investigation and cause of death ruling by the Army. Forty-one (41) female service members died of non combat related injuries while serving in Iraq; and twenty-three (23) were labeled homicide, suicide, or the cause of death is unknown.

Tina’s suspicious death was discussed in the Silent Truth Documentary and on the Crime Junkie Podcast.

Please see the MJFA Investigative Dossier for Tina Priest at the end of the article.

The Silent Truth Documentary:

Ninety-four US military women in the military have died in Iraq or during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). ‘The Silent Truth’ tells the story of one of these women, PFC LaVena Lynn Johnson, who was found dead on Balad Air Force Base in Iraq. The army claimed she shot herself with her own M16 rifle, but forensic evidence, obtained by the Johnson family through the Freedom of Information Act, brings the army’s findings into question. The Army refuses to re-open LaVena Johnson’s case, leaving the family in limbo. ‘The Silent Truth’ follows the Johnson’s pursuit of justice and truth for their daughter. -The Silent Truth Documentary (July 1, 2014)

Update: The Silent Truth is no longer available on YouTube but can be accessed at Fandango at Home.

The Silent Truth Documentary aka The LaVena Johnson Murder Cover-Up (Truthout, November 18, 2010):

“What happened to LaVena Lynn Johnson and so many others speaks to a Pentagon culture which more closely resembles a rogue government–than a legitimate branch serving under civilian control. It is highly telling that this family, along with the Tillman family each had to have a documentary film made JUST TO ALERT THE PUBLIC TO THE TRUTH OF PENTAGON COVER-UPS. I urge everyone to view this important documentary – before the local military recruiter mandated under No Child Left Behind –‘friends’ their child at school. God forbid, they could wind up coming home in a body bag – like LaVena.”

Investigative Dossier

PFC Tina M. Priest, U.S. Army • Operation Iraqi Freedom

Executive Summary

On March 1, 2006, 20-year-old Army PFC Tina M. Priest was found dead in her quarters at Camp Taji, Iraq, from a gunshot wound involving her assigned M16 rifle. She served with the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Approximately two weeks earlier, Priest had reported that she had been sexually assaulted by another soldier. Following an investigation, the Army concluded there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the allegation. After her death, the Army ruled the manner of death was suicide.

Her mother, Joy Priest, has consistently challenged both the sexual assault investigation and the suicide determination, arguing that important evidence and investigative questions were not adequately addressed. Tina’s case later became part of broader reporting on disputed non-combat deaths of women serving during the Iraq War and contributed to public debate about military sexual assault investigations and institutional accountability.

Personal Information

Name: Tina Marie Priest
Age: 20
Branch: United States Army
Units

4th Support Battalion
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division

Home Station: Fort Hood, Texas
Deployment: Camp Taji, Iraq
Date of Death: March 1, 2006
Official Classification: Non-combat death

Chronological Timeline

Late 2005

Priest deploys to Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division.

February 15, 2006

According to Army records discussed in subsequent reporting:

Priest reports that she was sexually assaulted by another soldier.
She undergoes a forensic medical examination.
DNA evidence reportedly confirms sexual contact occurred.
The central investigative question becomes whether the encounter was consensual.

Mid-February 2006

Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID):

interviews witnesses,
investigates the assault allegation,
gathers forensic evidence.

Behavioral health providers evaluate Priest.

Army records later cited in media reports indicate she did not meet criteria for immediate suicide intervention despite emotional distress related to the reported assault.

February 27–28

According to Army records discussed publicly:

Priest reportedly returns to duty.
The sexual assault investigation remains open.

March 1, 2006

Priest is discovered dead in her room at Camp Taji.

The death scene includes:

assigned M16 rifle
single gunshot wound

Initial casualty reports classify the death as a non-combat injury pending investigation.

Spring 2006

CID completes the death investigation.

Official conclusion: Suicide

The sexual assault case is closed without criminal charges.

2007–2009

Joy Priest publicly challenges:

the suicide ruling,
the sexual assault investigation,
Army transparency.

National media revisit the case as part of broader reporting on disputed military deaths involving women serving in Iraq.

Official Army Findings

According to the Army investigation:

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound

Manner of Death: Suicide

Sexual Assault Investigation

Army investigators concluded:

sexual intercourse occurred;
however, they determined there was insufficient evidence to establish beyond the applicable legal standard that the encounter was non-consensual.

No rape charges were filed.

Behavioral Health

Army records referenced in reporting indicate:

Priest experienced emotional distress after reporting the alleged assault.
Evaluators did not classify her as presenting an immediate suicide risk shortly before her death.

Family Concerns

Joy Priest has consistently disputed the Army’s conclusions.

Among the concerns she has publicly raised:

1. Timing

The death occurred roughly two weeks after the reported sexual assault.

The family questioned whether sufficient protection and support had been provided.

2. Suicide Determination

The family has stated they did not believe Tina intended to end her life.

They cited:

future plans,
conversations with family,
and what they viewed as inconsistencies with suicide.

3. Firearm Questions

Joy Priest questioned whether the mechanics of firing an M16 were consistent with Tina’s physical stature and the circumstances documented at the scene.

The Army maintained that its reconstruction supported a self-inflicted gunshot.

4. Investigation Transparency

The family has described delays obtaining:

investigative files,
autopsy information,
photographs,
and other records.

These concerns became part of later media reporting.

5. Sexual Assault Investigation

Joy Priest questioned why no charges resulted despite forensic evidence confirming sexual contact, arguing investigators did not adequately resolve whether the encounter was consensual.

Evidence Known Publicly

Public reporting identifies:

✓ Sexual assault report

✓ Medical forensic examination

✓ DNA evidence confirming sexual contact

✓ CID investigation

✓ Behavioral health evaluations

✓ Death scene investigation

The complete investigative file has not been fully released publicly.

Unanswered Questions

Among the questions raised publicly by family members and journalists:

Was every potential witness interviewed?
Were all forensic findings independently reviewed?
Were suicide-risk assessments sufficient following the reported assault?
Could additional victim advocacy or protective measures have altered the outcome?
Should the assault investigation have remained open longer?

These questions remain subjects of public debate; the Army has not changed its official conclusions.

Broader Context

Tina Priest’s death became part of a wider conversation concerning:

military sexual assault,
behavioral health,
non-combat deaths,
investigative transparency,
institutional accountability.

Her case has frequently been discussed alongside other disputed deaths of women who served during the Iraq War, particularly where families challenged official findings.

Primary Sources

Los Angeles Times – “A Death With Two Stories: Evidence”
Military Times – Fallen Service Member Profile for Tina M. Priest
Congressional hearings on military sexual assault and investigative practices (110th Congress), which referenced broader concerns about military handling of sexual assault cases.
Public statements by Joy Priest in interviews and media coverage.

Recommended Additional Records to Obtain:

Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Report of Investigation.
Army Line of Duty (LOD) investigation.
Armed Forces Medical Examiner autopsy report.
Death scene photographs and evidence inventory (where releasable).
Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) documentation, subject to privacy restrictions.
Behavioral health evaluations created before March 1, 2006.
Casualty Assistance Office records.
FOIA responses from the Army, CID, and the Department of Defense.
Any Inspector General correspondence related to the case.

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2005)

On September 30, 2005August 26, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

09/30/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Daniel Arnold, 27, George Pugliese, 39, Eric Siebodnik, 21, Lee Wiegand, 20, and Oliver Brown, 19, Iraq, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

09/29/2005: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Elizabeth Jacobson, 21, Iraq, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas

09/29/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Steve Morin Jr, 34, Iraq, Texas Army National Guard

09/29/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Benford, 30, Iraq, Fort Benning, Georgia

09/28/2005: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Robert Macrum, 22, NCD, Arabian Gulf, USS Princeton

09/28/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robert White, 34, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/28/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Tulsa Tuliau, 33, and Casey Howe, 32, Iraq, Fort Drum, New York

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Andrew Wallace, 25, and Michael Wendling, 20, Iraq, Wisconsin Army National Guard

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Andrew Derrick, 25, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Mike Sonoda Jr, 34, Iraq, California Army National Guard

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Howard Allen, 31, Iraq, Arizona Army National Guard

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Shawn Graham, 34, Iraq, Texas Army National Guard

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Elijah Ortega, 19, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/27/2005: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Steven Valdez, 20, Afghanistan, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: John Flynn, 36, and Patrick Stewart, 35, NCD, Afghanistan, Nevada Army National Guard

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Adrian Stump, 22, and Tane Baum, 30, NCD, Afghanistan, Oregon Army National Guard

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kenneth Ross, 24, NCD, Afghanistan, Giebelstadt, Germany

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Daniel Scheile, 37, and Paul Neubauer, 40, Iraq, California Army National Guard

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Brian Dunlap, 34, Iraq, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward)

09/26/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kevin Jones, 21, Iraq, Mannheim, Germany

09/23/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Pierre Raymond, 28, Iraq, Pennsylvania Army Reserve

09/23/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Travis Arndt, 23, NCD, Iraq, Montana Army National Guard

09/23/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Scott McLaughlin, 29, Iraq, Vermont Army National Guard

09/22/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lawrence Morrison, 45, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/22/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: William Allers III, 28, Iraq, Kentucky Army National Guard

09/21/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: William Evans, 22, Iraq, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

09/21/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Michael Egan, 36, and William Fernandez, 37, Iraq, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

09/21/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Mark Dooley, 27, Iraq, Vermont Army National Guard

09/20/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Alan Gifford, 39, and David Ford IV, 20, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/20/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Regilio Nelom, 45, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/20/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Deckard, 29, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/16/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alfredo Silva, 35, Iraq, California Army National Guard

09/16/2005: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Shane Swanberg, 24, Iraq, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward)

09/14/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kurtis Arcala, 22, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/13/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeremy Campbell, 21, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/13/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Everett, 23, NCD, Iraq, Texas Army National Guard

09/08/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jeffrey Williams, 20, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/08/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Jude Jonaus, 27, and Franklin Vilorio, 26, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/07/2005: DoD Identifies Navy Casualty: Robert Martens, 20, NCD, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/07/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Matthew Bohling, 22, Iraq, Fort Benning, Georgia

09/06/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Luke Williams, 35, NCD, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/06/2005: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ryan Nass, 21, NCD, Afghanistan, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/05/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lonnie Parson, 39, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/05/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: George Draughn Jr, 29, and Robert Hollar Jr, 35, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/03/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Derek Hines, 25, Afghanistan, Vicenza, Italy

09/02/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lowell Miller II, 35, Iraq, Mississippi Army National Guard

09/02/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason Ames, 21, NCD, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

09/02/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Monta Ruth, 26, Iraq, Fort Benning, Georgia

09/01/2005: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Gregory Fester, 41, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

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

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

On June 6, 2004July 5, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Medical, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental IllnessLeave a comment

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, 215^th Forward Support Battalion, 1^st 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

Chicago Tribune Published ‘In War Without Front Lines, Women GIs Caught in Chaos’ (March 11, 2004)

On March 11, 2004March 6, 2019 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USCG, USMCLeave a comment

Xatavia Hughes, an Iraqi war vet is looking for a safer neighborhood for herself and two sons. She is in her current home in the Englewood neighborhood on Nov. 6, 2013. -Chicago Tribune (December 2, 2013)

“One woman saw the military as a stop along the path of higher education. The other saw service as a road out of poverty. They enlisted in what’s typically thought of as a man’s world, and they both died in it. When Pfc. Nichole Frye’s convoy was attacked with a roadside bomb in Baqouba, Iraq, in February, she became the 15th servicewoman to die in the Iraq war, equaling the official number of female soldiers killed in the 1991 Persian Gulf war. When Capt. Gussie Jones, 41, died Sunday of a heart attack in the Baghdad hospital where she served as an Army surgical nurse, that gulf war total was officially surpassed. The conflict in Iraq now has the designation of claiming the lives of more U.S. servicewomen than any hostile theater since World War II, according to Department of Defense statistics. The stories of women like Frye and Jones–what drew them to the military and how they died in that service–reveal much about the role of American military women in Iraq.” -Chicago Tribune (March 11, 2004)

Read more ‘In War Without Front Lines, Women GIs Caught in Chaos’ from the Chicago Tribune here.

Army Sgt. Keicia Hines Struck by a Vehicle on Mosul Airfield in Iraq; No Updates on Outcome of DoD Investigation (2004)

On January 14, 2004January 7, 2018 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

Keicia M. Hines — Sgt. Keicia Hines, US Army

Army Sgt. Keicia Hines, 27, died when she was struck by a vehicle on Mosul Airfield on January 14, 2004 in Mosul, Iraq. Sgt. Hines’ home of record is listed as Citrus Heights, California. She was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 108th Military Police, Combat Support Company, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. According to her husband, Sean Hines, she also served in Bosnia and Israel. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. There is no further information available on the outcome of the investigation.

“The Army has provided few details of the accident that killed Hines. Her mother, a civilian analyst for the Sacramento police department, said she did not know what kind of vehicle struck her daughter, who was driving or how it happened. The Army said the accident remains under investigation.” –SF Gate

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2003)

On September 30, 2003August 22, 2017 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, SuicideLeave a comment

09/30/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Cutchall, 30, Iraq, Fort Riley, Kansas

09/30/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Evan O’Neill, 19, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

09/29/2003: Vietnam War MIA’s Identified

09/28/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robert Lucero, 34, Iraq, Wyoming Army National Guard

09/27/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lisa Andrews, 24, NCD, Overland Park, Kansas (on-leave), Kansas Army Reserve

09/27/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kyle Thomas, 23, Iraq, Caserma Ederle, Italy

09/26/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Robert Rooney, 43, NCD, Shuabai Port, Kuwait, Massachusetts Army National Guard

09/25/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Andrade, 28, NCD, Iraq, Rhode Island Army National Guard

09/24/2003: Remains of U.S. Servicemen Recovered in North Korea

09/23/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Brian Faunce, 28, NCD, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/23/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Lunsford Brown II, 27, Iraq, Patton Barracks, Germany

09/23/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: David Friedrich, 26, Iraq, Connecticut Army Reserve

09/23/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Paul Sturino, 21, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/22/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Anthony Thompson, 26, Richard Arriaga, 20, and James Wright, 27, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/22/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Frederick Miller Jr, 27, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/17/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Craig Ivory, 26, NCD, Kuwait, Vicenza, Italy

09/17/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Alyssa Peterson, 27, NCD, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/16/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Kevin Kimmerly, 31, Iraq, Baumholder, Germany

09/15/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Kevin Morehead, 33, and William Bennett, 35, Iraq, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/15/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Trevor Blumberg, 22, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/12/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Henry Ybarra III, 32, NCD, Iraq, Illesheim, Germany

09/11/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joseph Robsky Jr, 31, NCD, Iraq, Fort Irwin, California

09/11/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Ryan Carlock, 25, Iraq, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia

09/10/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Jarrett Thompson, 27, NCD, Iraq, Delaware Army Reserve

09/04/2003: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Cameron Sarno, 43, NCD, Kuwait, Nevada Army Reserve

09/03/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Sean Cataudella, 28, NCD, Iraq, Fort Hood, Texas

09/03/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Charles Caldwell, 38, Iraq, Rhode Island Army National Guard

09/03/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Sisson, 20, NCD, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/03/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualties: Chad Fuller, 24, and Adam Thomas, 21, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

09/02/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Mitchell Lane, 34, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/02/2003: DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Joseph Camara, 40, Iraq, Rhode Island Army National Guard

Fort Campbell Army Spc. Alyssa Peterson Died From Non Combat Weapons Discharge in Telafar, Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide (September 15, 2003)

On September 15, 2003September 15, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Army Spc. Alyssa Peterson, 27, died from a non-combat weapons discharge in Telafar, Iraq on September 15, 2003. Spc. Peterson was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the C Company, 311^th Military Intelligence Battalion, 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. Media reports indicate that Spc. Peterson’s death was ruled a suicide.

“Appalled when ordered to take part in interrogations that, no doubt, involved what most would call torture — another wrong turn by the United States following 9/11 — Alyssa Peterson refused, then killed herself a few days later, on September 15, 2003…Spc. Alyssa Peterson was one of the first female soldiers who died in Iraq. Her death under these circumstances should have drawn wide attention. It’s not exactly the Tillman case, but a cover-up, naturally, followed.” –Greg Mitchell Huffpost (October 12, 2014)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Operation Iraqi Freedom

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

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2005)

Chicago Tribune Published ‘In War Without Front Lines, Women GIs Caught in Chaos’ (March 11, 2004)

Army Sgt. Keicia Hines Struck by a Vehicle on Mosul Airfield in Iraq; No Updates on Outcome of DoD Investigation (2004)

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2003)

Fort Campbell Army Spc. Alyssa Peterson Died From Non Combat Weapons Discharge in Telafar, Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide (September 15, 2003)

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Investigative Dossier

PFC Tina M. Priest, U.S. Army • Operation Iraqi Freedom

Executive Summary

Personal Information

Chronological Timeline

Late 2005

February 15, 2006

Mid-February 2006

February 27–28

March 1, 2006

Spring 2006

2007–2009

Official Army Findings

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound

Manner of Death: Suicide

Sexual Assault Investigation

Behavioral Health

Family Concerns

1. Timing

2. Suicide Determination

3. Firearm Questions

4. Investigation Transparency

5. Sexual Assault Investigation

Evidence Known Publicly

Unanswered Questions

Broader Context

Primary Sources

Recommended Additional Records to Obtain:

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