A soldier stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, has been charged with homicide within the demise of a sergeant whose physique was present in a dumpster on the base, officers mentioned.
Spc. Wooster Rancy, 21, of the fifth Engineer Battalion, can be charged with obstructing justice in connection to the demise of Sgt. Sarah Roque, 23, the Army mentioned Thursday.
Roque, who was killed Oct. 20, was present in a dumpster close to single soldier housing, officers mentioned.
Rancy is in pretrial confinement awaiting a preliminary listening to, officers mentioned.
The relationship between Rancy and Roque, if any, was not clear. Officials mentioned at a information convention Friday that the 2 have been in the identical battalion.
Attempts to succeed in Rancy’s household have been unsuccessful.
Roque’s family additionally couldn’t be reached for remark.
Roque was reported lacking after she failed to indicate up for her unit’s morning formation on Oct. 21. Her physique was discovered hours later, authorities have mentioned.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, commanding normal of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood, mentioned at a information convention this month that the group on the base was “devastated.”
Beck described Roque as a pacesetter who served with “honor and distinction.”
“This is one thing we by no means need to occur, we by no means need for the household to need to endure or the unit to need to endure,” he mentioned.
Roque, of Ligonier, Indiana, enlisted in 2020 and was embellished, receiving the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Army Service Ribbon, officers mentioned.
She was assigned to the fifth Engineer Battalion as a bridge crewmember and mine canine handler with the K9 detachment, the Army mentioned.
Rancy, who joined the Army in 2022 and attended fundamental fight coaching at Fort Leonard Wood, is from Miami, officers mentioned.
He is a fight engineer with the 509th Clearance Company, fifth Engineer Battalion, in accordance with the Army.