A 21-year-old soldier has been charged with murder in the death of the sergeant. Sara Roque, whose body was discovered in a trash can Last week at their Missouri base.
Wooster Rensi, a combat engineer special with the 5th Engineer Battalion, is accused of killing the 23-year-old sergeant on Oct. 20 at Fort Leonard Wood, where they were both stationed, a day before Roque was reported missing.
He has also been charged with obstruction of justice and is being held in pretrial detention awaiting a preliminary hearing. According to a statement from Fort Leonard Wood,
Roque was reported missing on October 21, when his family and chain of command were unable to contact him, leading to a massive search at the base, located about 140 miles south of St. Louis.
According to Army officials, his remains were found in a dustbin near the single soldiers’ barracks that evening. On October 24, the base confirmed that a person of interest had been detained.
Authorities have not disclosed how or why the soldier allegedly killed Roque. The murder is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Rainsy, of North Miami, Florida, joined the Army in 2022 and attended basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, officials said.
Roque, of Ligonier, Indiana, served as a bridge crew member and mine dog handler with the 5th Engineer Battalion’s K-9 detachment, base officials said in a news release.
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.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, commanding general of Fort Leonard, said his death left a “tremendous void” in his team.
“Sergeant Roque was a daughter, sister, friend and soldier who chose to bravely and honorably serve our country,” Beck said in a news release.
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