More charges have been brought forward in the tragic homicide case of a navy petty officer stationed in Germany. A solider is facing trial on October 14, 2014 on charges of making a false official statement and helping to conceal a crime. The soldier is a known friend of an Air Force staff sergeant who is standing trial for the murder of the navy petty officer.
The sailor was found unresponsive in a vehicle on December 14, 2013. The staff sergeant standing trial for murder was allegedly involved in an affair with the victim’s wife, which the prosecution is claiming as a motive. There was also an insurance payout with hundreds of thousands of dollars that prosecutors believe played a role in the murder.
SOLDIER’S DEFENSE CLAIMS HE HAD NO ROLE
While army prosecutors have contended that the staff sergeant’s friend knew about his plot to murder the sailor and even helped him carry it out and cover it up, his defense team presenting a different argument. The defense has challenged the allegations and says that the soldier was not involved and that the staff sergeant acted completely on his own.
If convicted, the soldier could spend up to eight years in prison and receive a dishonorable discharge. The staff sergeant is facing up to life in prison without parole.