Rubino had reportedly joined the Army in 2020 and had moved to Fort Bragg in 2021. More:Fort Bragg soldier killed in accident, 4 others injured. WILMINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fort Bragg soldier pleaded guilty on Tuesday to possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. FORT BRAGG, N.C. . The incident is being investigated by the Armys Criminal Investigation Command. Anthony later admitted that he didnt have any paperwork for the gun. SANFORD, N.C. Authorities on Wednesday said they are investigating the death of a Fort Bragg soldier who was found shot on Sunday in his Sanford home. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. A Fort Bragg soldiers alleged plot to "physically remove" racial minorities from eastern North Carolina was uncovered by military officials. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Ryan Murphy Sets Sights on Menndez Brothers for 'Monster' Season 2 'Stop it!' }); After he stepped out of his car, the officer found a privately made 9mm weapon, often referred to as a ghost gun, with no serial number. Copyright 2023 WHNS. Tsu Surf Pleads Guilty to RICO, Firearms Charges, Collier says that shortly after calling 911, the group of soldiers alerted their unit, the 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, but that their battalion commander, Lt. Col. Scotty Autin, waited until Monday morning to inform the CID, which delayed until the following Friday to secure Roman-Martinezs barracks as a crime scene. A sergeant with the Cumberland County Homicide Unit investigated the death, said Lt. Sean Swainn, a spokesman for the county sheriffs office. And there are few other clues in his killing, which was just one of a massive wave of fatalities at Fort Bragg over the past two years, including repeated instances of fratricidal soldier-on-soldier violence, and literally dozens of deaths for which there is no explanation at all. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Rubino was found unresponsive in his barracks room on Fort Bragg. He wasnt diagnosed, but he did have suicidal tendencies., The victims sister, Griselda Roman-Martinez, says theres no truth to that, either. He was a hippie, Griselda says, into nature and spirituality, a strong believer in womens rights, staunchly supportive of his female friends. I have plenty to say, he tells Rolling Stone, but I prefer not to say anything at this time. He gave no indication of how he intends to plead at his arraignment, scheduled for Jan. 20. There was no way he wanted to end his life. He had been missing for almost a full week.. 2023 Stars and Stripes. 0:57. His death marks the latest in a string of recent deaths of Fort Bragg soldiers on or near the base. In June, two paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were found dead in their barracks in what Army officials said they suspected were drug overdoses. Roman-Martinezs death occurred over Memorial Day weekend of 2020. Romero says that Roman-Martinez also took LSD, and that Becerra was allegedly known around the barracks as a small-time dealer of acid tabs. The death certificates }) An investigative reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine, Seth Harp, has been His next-of-kin are being notified,according to the statement. FORT BRAGG A senior enlisted paratrooper was found dead Monday at his home on Fort Bragg, according to a statement Tuesday from the 82nd Airborne Officials said during the investigation they also found several electronic devices belonging to Anthony that allegedly had evidence of a self-titled operation, with the goal to physically remove as many of [black and brown people] from Hoke, Cumberland, Robeson and Scotland Counties by whatever means need be.. Griselda says that her brother, a sensitive young man who was into Buddhism and crystals, kept a daily journal. No arrests have been made nearly five months after a Special Forces soldier and veteran were found dead Dec. 2, at Fort Bragg, an official said last week. A Fort Bragg soldiers alleged plot to "physically remove" racial minorities from eastern North Carolina was uncovered by military officials. We extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones as we mourn his passing alongside his family. Norton can be reached at fnorton@fayobserver.com. Pfc. Correction: Officials earlier incorrectly reported Rubinos age as 21. 2023 Stars and Stripes. We might be afraid he might have hurt himself, he told the dispatcher. About a week after her brother went missing, on May 29, 2020, his severed head washed ashore on Shackleford Banks, not far from the soldiers campsite. "The loss of Mikel to his family, friends, and fellow Paratroopers is a tragedy," Col. Phillip J. Kiniery III, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat, 82nd Airborne Divisions, said in a statement. The U.S. Attorneys Office from the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that a Fort Bragg soldier, who recently pleaded guilty to a weapon charge, He was just a few months from getting out of the Army, and had plans to buy a new car, take a trip to Japan, and go to college on the GI Bill. Rubino leaves behind his wife Alyssa, their daughter Legacy, and his mother, Sheila. pg.acq.push(function() { document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ The FGC-9 rifle found was submitted to the ATF Firearms Laboratory, which confirmed that it was a short barrel rifle violating the National Firearms Act (NFA). SHINee members and Shawols say 'we will wait', Who is Natalia Fadeev? An investigation is underway after a Special Forces soldier from Fort Bragg died after being found unresponsive inside a parked car in Fayetteville on Friday, }); An Illinois native whos reported for news outlets in Washington, D.C., Arizona, Oregon and California, hes an alumnus of the Defense Language Institute, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Arizona State University. Posted 2:41 p.m. Oct 6, 2021 Updated 5:38 p.m. Oct 6, 2021. Pfc. When we woke up he was not here, and weve been looking for him all day. pg.acq.push(function() { ga('ads.send', { A representative of the Taliban said the group was checking on Ghani's whereabouts. eventAction: 'view' Though he was airborne-qualified, he was a noncombat support soldier, an HR specialist, who sat in front of a computer all day. In October, a highly trained Green Beret and intelligence sergeant named Calvin Rockward died from a sudden, unexpected medical event, though he was only 38 and in even better shape, to go by his Instagram photos. Officials found white supremacist literature, t-shirts, patches, and several electronic devices. Staples is a member of the editorial board. },false) His awards and decorations include two Bronze Star medals, one with a V device for valor, the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation medals, three Army Achievement medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal and five Army Good Conduct medals. But in no fewer than 33 cases, the Army has classified the cause of death as undetermined.. Investigators said they believed that drug use was involved. According to a statement from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office, the soldier, assigned to the command, was rushed toWomack Army Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the statement said. Not long after that, a parachute rigger in the 7th Special Forces Group named Tiara Vinson allegedly walked up to Kelia Horton, her rival for the affections of a third soldier, and shot her in the face. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.". },false) eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History The men were found dead around 3:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in a wooded training area of Fort Bragg, near Manchester Road, the newspaper reported. Master Sgt. Hamilton is survived by his parents, Michael and Carolyn, of Plano, Texas. Another 3D-printed rifle was found inside Anthonys room at Fort Bragg, which also contained no serial number, according to the release. As per a recent report, in order to evacuate US embassy personnel from Kabul from a Taliban onslaught threatening to topple the government, about 3,500 from Fort Bragg were being flown from the United States to the Middle East. 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Her baby brother, whom she always took care of, could barely see without his pair of thick glasses, she says, and never would have left them behind voluntarily. On February 9, 2022, Seth reported the death of 83 soldiers at Fort Bragg in the 18 months ending in June 2021. We are one of the worlds fastest growing Smiths awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters; the Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters; the Army Good Conduct Medal with one oak leaf cluster; the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal; the Army Service Ribbon; the Korea Defense Service Medal; the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; the Overseas Service Ribbon; and the Army Parachutist Badge. CID did not respond to a request for comment Friday, but an unnamed defense official told ABC News that foul play was suspected. Joshua Diamond, 35, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Pfc. Only 11 of these deaths were from natural causes. Many, perhaps a plurality, were suicides. pg.acq.push(function() { The incident is under investigation, according to officials. FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fort Bragg officials have identified the soldier killed Thursday in a military vehicle accident on post. Enrique just wanted to go home. At no time during that interaction did the off-duty soldiers mention a missing person, a spokesman for the national park told Army Times shortly after the recording of the 911 call was made public. A 21-year-old Fort Bragg soilder found dead on North Carolina s Outer Banks in May had been decapitated, according to an autopsy report. Last month, two paratroopers were found dead in their barracks room at Fort Bragg. Lavigne had spent about a dozen of his 19 years in the service assigned to Special Forces and USASOC, the command said in a statement Friday. But the group of seven also told investigators that Roman-Martinez had left his wallet, phone, and glasses behind in the tent, which Griselda says is very unlikely. } eventAction: 'load' MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Theyre still happening, but the base has gone dark. Back in January 2022, Seth wrote about this for Rolling Stone. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A soldier from New Port Richey died in a training exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to a Friday announcement. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ To date, there is not even a plausible theory of why anyone would have wanted to murder such a thoroughly nice guy, much less viciously decapitate him. According to court documents, the situation began when Anthony tried to enter Fort Bragg on March 3, 2022, as officers were conducting random vehicle inspections. He joined the News13 team in March 2020 after nearly two years at a sister station in Pennsylvania. Jimmy Lee Smith III, 24, died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in a shooting in Raeford, N.C. His death is being investigated as a homicide by the Hoke County Sheriffs Office. April 27, 2023. He earned numerous awards and decorations during his service, including a Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, a parachutist badge and a driver and mechanic badge. Private First Class Mikel Rubino, of Oroville, "We mourn Mikel's passing alongside his family. All Rights Reserved. He had recently returned from the divisions support to Operation Allies Refuge in Afghanistan. Foul play is suspected and they may have been involved in criminal activity at the time of their deaths, unnamed military officials told some news outlets. Confederate Tributes Are Losing Their Patron Saint. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. The incident is being investigated by the Armys Criminal Investigation Command. Two men connected to the special operations community were found dead on an Army post in North Carolina where both had served for years one a soldier in an elite unit and the other a veteran. A senior defense official told ABC News in late March 2018 that the shooter was an active-duty member of a Special Missions Unit, known as Delta Force. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The ferry was closed. A More than 30 soldiers assigned to the base have died this year, about half by suicide. Mikel Rubino was pronounced dead after emergency medical services personnel were called to his barracks and attempted life-saving measures, military officials said in a statement to ABC station WTVD in Durham, North Carolina. It has not been found. 1st Class Mark Leshikar, 33, USASOC confirmed in an email. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The incident remains under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department. In one case, an elite Delta Force soldier suspected of trafficking drugs was found dead on an Army training ground, the victim of an apparently professional hit by skilled assassins. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. His first unit of assignment after graduating U.S. Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill in 2006 was with 1-319 Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Bragg. A Ft. Bragg Officer Pleads Guilty and his Wife, the Executive Officer of the Campbell University ROTC Program, was Convicted in Government Property Theft that Profited More Than $2 Million "Our service men and women make sacrifices for our country every day and it undermines their commitment when a fellow soldier steals the Authorities on Wednesday said they are investigating the death of a Fort Bragg soldier who was found shot on Sunday in his Sanford home. Staff Sgt. Jimmy was more than just an NCO, he was a mentor, a shoulder to cry on, a comedian at times, but most of all a great friend, Spc. Updated: Apr 22, 2023 / 11:45 AM EDT TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A soldier from New Port Richey died in a training exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to a Friday announcement. Published Dec 4, 2020 5:17 PM EST. "The loss of a soldier is always tragic," said Lt. Col. Justin Duvall, the soldier's company commander. The other person was a veteran who previously served at Fort Bragg, the Army wrote. Her awards include a 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Washington Dateline Award and an Honorable Mention from the Military Reporters and Editors Association for her coverage of crime at Fort Hood. He was an outstanding culinary specialist and an absolute asset to 3rd Group. Web15 likes, 3 comments - WNCT (@wnct9) on Instagram: "An autopsy has found a Fort Bragg soldier found dead this summer on North Carolinas Crystal Co" WNCT on Instagram: The drug charge against Becerra, which could be for simple possession or a more serious accusation of distribution, shows that military prosecutors suspect him of some kind of narcotics offense. He served as a fire support NCO assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. Jimmy was a tremendous teammate and paratrooper, said Col. John D. Bishop, commander of the 3rd Special Forces Group of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne). Alex Becerra, who according to multiple sources planned and organized the camping trip to the North Carolina seashore that preceded Roman-Martinezs disappearance and death, has been charged with conspiracy; dereliction of duty; two counts of making false official statements; three counts of disobeying a superior officer; and wrongful possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance but not murder or manslaughter. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. (U.S. Army). Lavigne dedicated himself to the Army for 19 years and deployed multiple times in the defense of our Nation. Investigators said they found the evidence on Anthony's electronic devices. Fort Bragg hasnt announced any fatalities since then. By that time, Collier says. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Master Sgt. Master Sgt. The rest of his body has not been found. Anthony will be sentenced at a later date and faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the release. William J. Lavigne II, 37, a Green Beret, and Timothy Dumas, 44, an Army veteran who once served at Fort Bragg. Master Sgt. A sign shows Fort Bragg information, May 13, 2004 in Fayettville, North Carolina. In August 2021, CID increased the reward for information in the case to $50,000, the largest sum the Army has ever offered. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. Check out these great suggestions. Officials added that the gun hadnt been registered, as required under the NFA. Fort Bragg paratrooper found dead in barracks, investigation All rights reserved. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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