Army Sgt. Sarah Roque, 23, with her partner Zorro, a mine detection dog, was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., since her enlistment in 2020. Roque was killed at the base in October 2024 and another soldier was charged with murder in her death. (Fort Leonard Wood)
A 21-year-old Fort Leonard Wood soldier will face a court-martial in the death of another soldier whose body was found last year in a dumpster at the Missouri base.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel on July 8 decided to move forward with charges of murder and obstructing justice against Spc. Wooster Rancy, 21, in relation to the death of Sgt. Sarah Roque.
Roque was reported missing when she failed to show for morning formation on Oct. 21 and a search for her began within hours, according to the Army Criminal Investigation Division. She was found dead later that day in a dumpster near a barracks building.
Rancy, a combat engineer from North Miami, Fla., was arrested three days later and has been in pretrial confinement at the Midwest Joint Regional Confinement Facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., about 240 miles northwest of Fort Leonard Wood.
A date for Rancy’s arraignment, as well as an attorney, were not yet listed Wednesday on the Army’s online court docket.
Army Spc. Wooster Rancy, 21, was charged with murder in the death of Sgt. Sarah Roque, who died at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in October 2024. Rancy now faces a court-martial. (Phelps County Sheriff’s Office)
The special trial counsel decided to move forward with the case following a May 6 preliminary hearing that determined there was enough evidence for a court-martial — a necessary step in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Roque is from Ligonier, Ind., and enlisted in 2020 to become a combat engineer, according to her obituary. She worked in the 5th Engineer Battalion as a bridge crewmember and boat operator from October 2020 until August 2022. She deployed to Poland as a boat operator with the 74th Multirole Bridge Company.
She reenlisted in 2022 and transferred to work as a mine detection dog handler, according to her obituary. She partnered with a dog named Zorro.
