Fort Hood soldier’s body found near lake, the 3rd death in past month

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• A 26-year-old soldier named Mejjor Morta was found dead on July 17 near Fort Hood US Army base in Texas. It was the third time a body was discovered in Fort Hood within the past month.
• On June 19, officials found the skeletal remains of the 24-year-old soldier Gregory Wedel-Morales, who had been missing since August 2019.
• On June 30, authorities also discovered the remains of 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen, another Fort Hood soldier.

Another soldier has been discovered dead near Fort Hood, a US Army base in Texas. This has been the third time that a body was found in Fort Hood within the last four weeks.

According to Fort Hood officials’ statement on Tuesday, Pvt. Mejhor Morta was discovered unconscious on July 17 in a location within the Stillhouse Hollow Lake. It was a reservoir managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Fort Worth District.

The Bell County Sheriff Department has conducted its investigation as officials have not confirmed yet whether the death is considered a murder.

“The Black Knight family is truly heartbroken by the tragic loss of Private Mejhor Morta. I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones,” Lt. Col. Neil Armstrong, commander of 1st Brigade 5th Cavalry Regiment, said.

According to the Fort Hood Press Center, Morta, a 26-year-old soldier from Pensacola, Florida, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division since May 2020. He entered the Army in September 2019.

On June 19, authorities found skeletal remains in Killeen fields, located about 10 miles from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. After two days, it was identified as the remains of Gregory Wedel-Morales, a 24-year-old Fort Hood Soldier.

Wedel-Morales, who had been missing since August last year, was declared AWOL by his unit. He was about to be discharged from the Army days prior to his disappearance. Army officials have suspected foul play on his death.

Wedel-Morales was about to transfer to the Killeen Police Department as a reinstated officer. Since he passed away before being completely “dropped from rolls,” he could receive military honors when his remains will be laid in his home state of Oklahoma.

On June 30, Army officials again discovered human remains near the Leon River in Bell County, about 20 miles east of Fort Hood. It was later identified as Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old Fort Hood soldier. Guillen had been missing since April.

According to the bereaved families of Wedel-Morales and Guillen, Fort Hood officials did not conduct a comprehensive and careful investigation of their disappearances. It was not clear whether both incidents are related.

Following Guillen’s passing, some House representatives teamed up with advocates for women on Tuesday to keep pleading for changes in the military management of sexual abuse and harassment cases.

Source: Fox News