Seven soldiers who went camping with a Fort Bragg paratrooper before his severed head washed up on a beach are facing courts-martial on conspiracy and a slew of other charges.
The North Carolina-based soldiers were the last to see decorated Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez, 21, during their trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore for Memorial Day weekend in May 2020.
The Californian was reported missing on May 22 — six days before his severed head was found washed up on the shore. His body has never been found.
His homicide case remains open with a $50,000 reward, but was moved to “cold case status,” a spokeswoman for the Army Criminal Investigation Division said.
No one has been charged with his death, and the seven facing courts-martial are for charges not directly related to the homicide, officials stressed.
Instead, they are all charged with conspiracy and failure to obey a direct order or regulation related to travel during a travel ban, according to court records obtained by the Fayetteville Observer.
The paper identified them as Sgt. Samuel Moore, Pfc. Samad Landrum, Pvt. Annamarie Cochell, and Spcs. Juan Avila, Alex Becerra, Joshua Curry and Benjamin Sibley.
Becerra, Cochell and Landrum are also charged with using the hallucinogenic drug LSD, the paper said. Other charges include disobeying a superior or making false statements.
All seven have all been arraigned and their trials are scheduled from May to September.
Roman-Martinez joined the Army when he was 17, and went on to be awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Army Parachutist Badge, Army officials have said.
His sister, Griselda Martinez, previously told CBS LA that her brother joined the military because “all he wanted was to do good in his life.”
“And this is what happened to him? We only have a part of him, that’s it,” she said in August 2020.
“This is not right. This should never have happened to my brother.”
With Post wires