Pvt. Mejhor Morta
Officials with Fort Hood have publicly identified a U.S. Army soldier recently found dead. He was Pvt. Mejhor Morta, 26, who joined the military in September 2019, according to a statement. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, since May. His awards and decorations included the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. That service came to a tragic end on July 17, when he was discovered unresponsive near local Stillhouse Lake, according to the Army’s account.
“The Black Knight family is truly heartbroken by the tragic loss of Private Mejhor Morta. I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones,” said Lt. Col. Neil Armstrong, commander of 1st Bn. 5th Cav. Regt., in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. Private Morta was a great Trooper and this loss is felt by every member within our formation.”
The Bell County Sheriff’s Department is investigating Morta’s death, the Army said. A spokesman for the local agency did not immediately respond to a Law&Crime request for comment.
There have been at least 50 people, easily, who’ve been to the mural this afternoon with flowers, signs, and to call for justice for the deceased soldiers. pic.twitter.com/UiKXmOACTV
— Jolene Almendarez (@jalmendarez57) July 19, 2020
This marks the third time in a month that a soldier was found dead in proximity of Fort Hood. One of the others was Private Second Class Gregory Wendel-Morales, who went missing in August 2019 and was found dead of mysterious circumstances last June 19. His family recently managed to get him cleared of a desertion claim so he could be buried with full military honors.
There was also the death of Vanessa Guillen, a private who was promoted to specialist after her dismembered body was discovered June 30. Authorities arrested Cecily Aguilar, 22, for allegedly helping hide the body. According to them, the defendant is the estranged wife of a Fort Hood soldier who that Specialist Aaron David Robinson recruited her to help get rid of Guillen’s body. Robinson is said by Aguilar to have confessed to murdering the victim with a hammer. In this account, Guillen was killed the day she went missing from Fort Hood: April 22.
There was also the death of Vanessa Guillen, a private who was promoted to specialist after her dismembered body was discovered June 30. Authorities arrested Cecily Aguilar, 22, for allegedly helping hide the body. The defendant is the estranged wife of a Fort Hood soldier; authorities say the defendant claimed that her boyfriend, Specialist Aaron David Robinson, recruited her to help get rid of Guillen’s body. Robinson is said by Aguilar to have confessed to murdering the victim with a hammer, according to officials. In this account, Guillen was killed the day she went missing from Fort Hood: April 22.
Robinson fled Fort Hood on June 30 and died by suicide when confronted by authorities in Killeen, Texas, according to local police.
Guillen’s family claims Army officials did not take her disappearance seriously, and they suggested she could have been killed in connection to suffering from alleged sexual misconduct.
Guillén felt she could not approach her chain of command with allegations, her relatives said. “She felt if she spoke, something would happen,” sister Mayra Guillén told The Post. “I now realize everything leads back to them harassing her at work.”https://t.co/9pS7yLT3t2
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 5, 2020
Fort Hood officials have insisted that they took the search seriously and communicated with Guillen’s family from day one.
[Image via the U.S. Army]
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