KANSAS CITY - A 21-year-old Army soldier is facing murder charges in relation to death of Sgt. Sarah Roque at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel charged Specialist Wooster Rancy, 21, with murder for the death of Roque and obstructing justice in violation of Articles 118 and 131b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
Specialist Rancy, originally from North Miami, Florida, serves as a combat engineer with the 509th Clearance Company, 5th Engineer Battalion. Rancy joined the Army in 2022 and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood.
Major General Christopher Beck spoke at a press briefing Friday and said both Rancy and Roque were in the same battalion, one that included a few hundred soldiers.
Specialist Rancy is currently being held in pretrial confinement awaiting a preliminary hearing pursuant to Article 32 of the UCMJ.
Roque, who was from Indiana and worked as a dog handler in the K-9 attachment, went missing on Oct. 21 at Fort Leonard Wood and her body was later discovered in a dumpster on the base. Beck says Roque death took place on Oct. 20.
Roque enlisted in 2020, and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood. Sgt. Roque’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
Fort Leonard Wood officials previously told the media last week they would investigate the death of Roque as a homicide that a they had a person of interest and they were taken into custody. Officials also stressed that person nor any other posed a broader threat.
"I can tell you a this point, efforts are made to make sure to make sure this individual does not pose any threat to the base or the community," said Army Special Agent John McCabe last week. "We are confident that there is no threat to the community or base personnel at this point."
Beck reaffirmed McCabe's statement Friday, saying Fort Leonard Wood remains a "a safe place to live and work."
Army investigators aren't releasing any more information at this point, including the cause of Roque's death.
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