The army is investigating this 23 year old sergeant died It was ruled a homicide after her body was found inside a trash can in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
In an update on Thursday, US Army Fort Leonard Wood announced in a social media post that the individual in question has been taken into custody. Death of Sergeant Sara Roque.
“Sergeant Roque was a daughter, sister, friend and soldier who bravely and honorably chose to serve our country,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, commanding general of MSCOE and Fort Leonard Wood, said in a news release.
Roque, 23, was first reported missing on Monday when his family and chain of command were unable to contact him.
On Tuesday, the base announced that the 23-year-old’s body had been found in a trash bin near the barracks for single soldiers. Authorities declined to say who found his body or whether there was a suspicious cause of death.
“It is with heavy hearts that we inform the Fort Leonard Wood community that our missing Soldier, 23-year-old Sergeant Sarah Roque, has been found deceased,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Base officials said in a news release that Roque was from Ligonier, Indiana, and had served as a bridge crew member and mine dog handler with the 5th Engineer Battalion’s K-9 detachment.
She enlisted in 2020 and attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. His awards and decorations included the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
Beck said his death left a “tremendous void” on his team.
“The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and the Fort Leonard Wood team are deeply saddened by this devastating loss, and we offer our deepest condolences to Sergeant Roque’s family, friends and fellow Soldiers,” Beck said.
“Sergeant Roque was a daughter, sister, friend and soldier who chose to bravely and honorably serve our country,” he said. “His passing leaves a tremendous void throughout our team, and although there are no words to ease the pain, we will continue to provide care, resources and support to those affected during this difficult time.”
The incident is under investigation by the Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Fox News Digital has contacted Fort Leonard Wood for comment.
Roque died after Army Pfc. Katia Duenas Aguilar, 23, was brutally murdered in her home near Fort Campbell, Louisiana, in May.
According to an autopsy report, Duenas was stabbed 68 times in the neck and upper body. The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force injuries.
A reward of $55,000 was announced by the family and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) for any information that would help police solve the case.
“This is a human being. She’s a Latina. This is a young woman who signed on the line to serve our country,” said Annaluisa Carrillo-Tapia of the LULAC National Military and Veterans Committee. “We want to know what happened, who did it, and we want the person or people who did this to be brought to justice.”
In the months that followed, no suspects were named, no motive was identified and no arrests were made.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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