FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Army has announced that a soldier faces murder charges in connection to the death of a fellow service member at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. This development was made public on Thursday.

The 21-year-old specialist has been officially charged with murder and obstruction of justice regarding the case of Sgt. Sarah Roque, who was 23 years old. Roque, who hailed from Ligonier, Indiana, was a mine-detecting dog handler. She was reported missing on October 20, and her remains were found in a trash receptacle on the military base two days later.

Authorities at Fort Leonard Wood indicated that investigations were treating Roque’s passing as a homicide. Last Thursday, they confirmed that a person of interest had been taken into custody, though they emphasized that there was no ongoing threat to other personnel at the base or the surrounding community.

Despite the active investigation, there has been limited information disclosed by Army officials about the circumstances surrounding Roque’s death, including the specific cause of death and any potential motives involved.

Sarah Roque enlisted in the Army in 2020. Throughout her service, she earned several commendations, including the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. She served with the 5th Engineer Battalion.