“Lavena Johnson was a smart, witty woman, born and raised in Missouri. Her senior year of high school she decided she would join the Army in an effort to not burden her parents with out of state tuition for college. Although Dr. Johnson (Lavena’s dad), begged her not to join the Army – she did so anyway. She thought the Army was a good deal – you serve your country a few years and then you get 4 years of college paid! Recruiters promised her she would likely not deploy, even though in 2004 there was an uptick in deployed troops.”
Listen to Ep 40: Did Lavena Johnson commit suicide? on the Military Murder Podcasthere.
Sgt. 1st Class John David Randolph Hilty, U.S. Army
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Sgt. 1st Class John David Randolph Hilty, 44, from Bowie, Maryland, died March 30, 2020 in Erbil, Iraq, of a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. Hilty was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Sgt. 1st Class John David Randolph Hilty entered the Army in April 1999 as an Army combat engineer. His most recent military occupational specialty was petroleum supply specialist. Hilty’s deployments include three tours to Afghanistan from January 2009 to December 2009, January 2012 to December 2012, October 2016 to October 2017 and most recently to Iraq in October 2019.
You can listen to U.S. Navy veteran Brian Lewis’ March 13, 2013 testimony to the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel here.
“Nearly 30 years ago, when George H. W. Bush was president and Dick Cheney was the secretary of defense, the Pentagon made a promise to our service members. Dozens of Navy and Marine Corps aviation officers had just been investigated for the infamous Tailhook sexual assault scandal, and America’s military leadership affirmed a “zero tolerance” policy toward sexual assault within their ranks. The military had a sexual assault problem, and pledged to solve it.
It’s painfully clear that the military has now failed at this mission by almost any metric. For years, survivor after survivor has told us the change in the system we needed to make to end this scourge — the same change that a number of our allies around the world have already made: take the adjudication of these crimes outside of the chain of command and allow trained military prosecutors to prosecute them.” Read more opinion at Military Timeshere.
“The Military Justice Improvement Act would take the prosecution of sexual assault and other serious crimes, such as murder, out of the chain of command. It would keep those crimes in the military justice system, but put the decision to prosecute them into the hands of actual military prosecutors who are trained to deal with complex legal issues.” –Senator Kirsten Gillbrand (Military Times, July 1, 2019)
Gillibrand Leads Bipartisan Coalition to Reform Military Justice System -Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (May 16, 2013)
Law protecting military victims of sexual assault discussed. -WDTN-TV (May 1, 2018)
“In civilian life you have complete control of your movements, and if you’re in an unsafe situation you can remove yourself. In military life, the victim needs permission to take even basic self-preservation actions.” (Rep. Mike Turner, December 25, 2011)
“It’s been almost ten years since that law for expedited transfers on base for sexual assault victims was changed. But today Congressman Turner and Mary Lauterbach both say there’s still more work to be done. Now backtracking to 2007 when Maria Lauterbach reported her sexual assault, the Vandalia Marine requested a base transfer and it was denied, leaving her in close proximity to her assaulter. Since her death, her mother has worked with Turner to get that law changed where victims can now seek that expedited transfer…Today, Turner’s saying even with that law passed those who report sexual assault in context of domestic violence have not been permitted expedited transfer, bringing forth the persist against Military Sexual Trauma Act. ‘We have drawn legislation that would close that loophole and make certain that those who are subject to domestic violence also have the ability, as victims of sexual assault, to seek the expedited transfer’ (Rep. Mike Turner). This will be included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which will pass the House of Representatives next week.” –WDTN-TV (May 1, 2018)
In the News:
Critics say the military needs to do more about domestic violence against women. A CBS News investigation found more than 25,000 women have been victimized over the past decade. -CBS Evening News (January 28, 2009)
Rep. Bruce Braley introduces the Holley Lynn James Act — a bill to help victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in the military get justice. The bill is named after Holley Lynn James, a constituent of Rep. Braley who was killed by her husband while both were in the service. -[Former] Representative Bruce Braley (April 12, 2011)
The man found dead in Germantown is ID’s as Adam Anthony Arndt; teen ID’d as Michelle Miller. -ABC 7 WJLA (April 8, 2013)
New provisions handed down from the Department of Defense are giving sexual assault victims in the military rights they never had before. It’s all thanks to the fight from Congressman Mike Turner and a local mother Mary Lauterbach. The provisions make certain that a victim has legal counsel throughout the whole process so they understand what their legal rights are and how to protect themselves. The provisions also remove the accused from the situation and not the victim. -WKEF/WRGT (August 15, 2013)
A major hurdle cleared for sexual assault victims in the military. Congress passed a bill that would give victims rights and protection they never had before. The push came after the tragic murder of local marine Maria Lauterbach and her unborn son. Congress approved a bill that would give military sexual assault victims legal counsel and criminalize retaliation against any victim. “If Maria had had this, she would be alive today, it’s very important.” The bill now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature. -WKEF/WRGT (December 20, 2013)
Morris’ death in 2012 was ruled a suicide. -WMAR-2 News (August 10, 2015)
First Class Private Shadow McClaine’s body was discovered earlier this week and investigators arrested two fellow soldiers. -CBS Sacramento (January 28, 2017)
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. It would take the family a grueling six months to learn the truth. The petition to ask for a congressional hearing set up by Shonta on change.org says: “I am begging for justice. I want the army to be held accountable.” -12 News Now (February 12, 2019)
A Marine colonel’s wife mourns her husband’s death in the Iraq war. Authorities said it was suicide, but she said he was murdered. -CBS News (March 29, 2019)
As Terri Caserta entered her son’s bedroom in their Peoria home, she broke down. It’s an emotion that Terri and her husband Patrick Caserta will always carry with them. Their son Brandon was in the United States Navy from 2015 to 2018. However, at just 21, Brandon would take his own life. -ABC 15 Arizona (June 14, 2019)
“In 1961, the US military carried out the last execution after a court-martial, as of the time of this recording. Army Pvt John Bennett’s conviction was for the rape and attempted murder of an 11 year girl in Austria. This case brought up questions of race in our military justice system and if mental health should factor into sentencing.” –Army Private John Bennett w/ Death’s Door, Crimelines True Crime Podcast (April 22, 2018)
Army paratrooper Pfc. Andrew Young, 21, was found dead in his barracks at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy on August 19, 2017. Pfc. Young joined the Army in 2015 and was assigned to the A Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy since January 2016. The incident is under investigation.
Navy sailor Ashley Barnes, 19, died unexpectedly on August 7, 2016 while stationed as an Information Systems Technician in Gaeta, Italy. Ashley’s family said they have not been informed of the exact cause of death and are awaiting autopsy results. Ashley graduated from Great Lakes Naval Training Center on October 3, 2014, Information Systems Technician “A” School on March 26, 2015, and reported to the U.S.S. Mount Whitney (LCC 20) on April 19, 2015. On July 1, 2016, Ashley was qualified as an enlisted surface warfare specialist. According to her obituary, Ashley Barnes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but she lived in Totowa for most of her life.
Ashley was a 2014 graduate of Passaic Valley High School, where she played varsity field hockey. And the Passaic Valley reports she also played softball and basketball. The family and the whole community were devastated by the loss. “We were all devastated when we found out she passed suddenly and you can’t believe this could happen to someone so young. My daughter had just seen and talked to her before she returned back to Italy after being on leave,” family friend Marianne Puluse said. She emphasized that Ashley was someone who deserves to be remembered. The outcome of the investigation and the official cause of death are unknown.
Army Sgt. Jacqueline Anderson, 26, was found dead in her apartment in Seoul, South Korea on July 31, 2016. Sgt. Anderson’s husband, Sgt. Carl Anderson, found her unresponsive and asked neighbors to contact the police but she was dead upon their arrival. Sgt. Anderson was from Leesville, Louisiana and she joined the Army in January 2011. She was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field Artillery Brigade at Camp Casey, South Korea. She was stationed in Dongducheon with her husband who is also with the 210th Field Artillery Brigade. At the time of reporting, Jacqueline’s cause of death was under investigation by the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The outcome of the investigation and official cause of death is unknown.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 