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Air Force Airman Arrested in Homicide of Sunday School Teacher, Deputies Say

 

https://www.facebook.com/SJCSO/videos/161553338516742/

Authorities announced Tuesday that an Air Force airman was arrested in the homicide of a Sunday school teacher. Mark Gooch faces a pending criminal case for the death of Sasha Krause.

The victim, a member of the Mennonite community in Farmington, New Mexico, went missing in January 2020. She was last seen leaving her home on the 18th, authorities said. That was in San Juan County, N.M., but she was found the next month in Coconino County, Ariz., authorities said.  The counties are more than four hours away from one another by car.

Investigators are going after Gooch for this. The defendant went from Luke Air Force Base in Maricopa County, Arizona to Farmington at the time Krause went missing, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

“Further investigation placed Gooch near Sunset Crater in Coconino County where Krause’s body was located,” said deputies with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

Mark Gooch

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities did not release an alleged motive. Charges were not listed. Nonetheless, San Juan Sheriff Shane Ferrari leaned in pretty hard during a statement to Facebook.

“The sheriff of Coconino County and I are committed to making sure that Mark Gooch receives a max sentence for these horrible crimes, and yes, Arizona still has the death penalty,” he said.

It’s unclear if Gooch has an attorney in this matter.

[Mugshot via Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office]

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