A soldier stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, has been charged with murder in the death of a sergeant whose body was found in a dumpster on the base, officials said.
Wooster Runcie, 21, of the 5th Specialized Engineer Battalion, is also charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Sgt. Sarah Roque, 23, was killed, the military announced Thursday.
Roque, who was killed on October 20, was found in a dumpster near a single soldier’s residence, officials said.
Runcie is being held in pretrial custody pending a preliminary hearing, officials said.
The relationship, if any, between Runcie and Roque was not clear. Officials said at a news conference Friday that the two men were part of the same battalion.
Attempts to contact Runcie’s family were unsuccessful.
Roque’s relatives could not be reached for comment.
Roque failed to show up for the unit’s morning formation on October 21 and was reported missing. Her body was found several hours later, authorities said.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, commander of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood, said at a news conference this month that the base community was “devastated.”
Beck described Locke as a leader who served with “honor and honor.”
“This is something we never want to happen, and we never want our families or troops to have to endure,” he said.
Roque, of Ligonier, Indiana, enlisted in 2020 and received the Army Commendation Medal, Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Army Medal, officials said.
The Army said she was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion as a bridge crew member and mine dog handler for the K9 detachment.
Runcie, who joined the Army in 2022 and received basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, is from Miami, officials said.
He is a combat engineer with the 509th Clearance Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, the Army said.
