A previous member of the militaries was detained Thursday in Florida in the death of a pregnant soldier at a previous U.S. Army base in Germany more than twenty years back, authorities stated.
Shannon Wilkerson, 42, was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the Nov. 3, 2001, killing of Pfc. Amanda Gonzales, 19, the Department of Justice stated in a press release.
Gonzales, who was 4 months pregnant at the time of her death, was discovered on Nov. 5 in her third-floor barracks space at Fliegerhorst Kasern, then an Army base near Hanau, Germany, after she stopped working to report for work, the FBI stated.
Gonzales passed away by asphyxiation, the firm stated. She was on her very first task for the Army and had actually been appointed to Headquarters Supply Company of the 127 th Aviation Support battalion as a cook, the FBI stated.
Wilkerson was released from the Army in 2004, according to an indictment submitted in federal court in Florida’s Northern District. The file states he was released from the Army Reserve 3 years later on.
A possible intention was not determined in the file and extra information about the supposed criminal activity or either discharge were not right away readily available. A legal representative for Wilkerson did not right away react to an ask for remark Thursday night.
The Army might not right away be grabbed remark early Friday.
Wilkerson made a preliminary court look Thursday and pleaded innocent, a court filing programs. A detention hearing is set up for March 3.
He deals with an optimal sentence of life in jail if founded guilty.
Tim Stelloh is a breaking news press reporter for NBC News Digital.