The U.S. Army is recommending charges against the soldier who killed Fort Leonard Wood sergeant

Through Alisa Nelson | October 31, 2024

Fort Leonard Wood (Image: US Army)

The U.S. military has favored charging a soldier in the death of a Fort Leonard Wood sergeant last week.

The charges against US Army Spc. Wooster Rancy, 21, are linked to the murder of Sgt. Sara Roque. Rancy is also accused of obstructing justice.

The body of 23-year-old Roque was found in a dumpster at the military base in southern Missouri after she failed to report for duty.

Michelle McCaskill, of the US Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, told Missourinet that now that charges are preferred, the next step is for a neutral officer to be appointed and a date for a preliminary hearing to be scheduled. After the preliminary hearing, the officer makes recommendations on how to properly handle the case. The preliminary hearing is required before the charges can be referred for trial in military court.

In military law, preferring charges is the process of formally filing charges against a suspect. Referral of charges is the decision to prosecute charges against the suspect in a court-martial, also known as a military court.

Rancy is being held in jail while he awaits a preliminary court hearing.

Sergeant Roque was a native of Indiana and served as a mine dog handler with the Army’s K9 Detachment 5th Engineer Battalion. She joined the Army in 2020 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.

Sp. Originally from Florida, Rancy serves as a combat engineer with the 509th Clearance Company, 5th Engineer Battalion. He joined the Army in 2022 and attended basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood.

The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division continues to investigate the case.